The Lion King III: The Lost Prince
by Asante
Summary: Following the marriage of Kovu and Kiara, a family secret sends Kiara on an adventure to find Kopa, the brother she never knew she had. This story will fill in the gaps between The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion King: Six New Adventures.
1. Chapter 1

**The Lion King:**

**The Legend Continues**

By Asante

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>The following is the recommended reading order of my fan fiction novels and short stories:

_The Lion King: A Father's Concern _**(short story)**

_The Lion King: Sarafina _**(short story)**

_The Lion King: Mheetu _**(short story)**

_The Lion King III: The Lost Prince _**(book)**

_The Lion King IV: The Rogue Pride _**(book)**

_The Lion King: Responsibilities _**(short story)**

_The Lion King V: Man Comes to the Pride Lands _**(book)**

_The Lion King VI: Fall of Man_ **(book)**

You can find all my fan fictions on my profile page. Technically, _Responsibilities_ takes place before _The Lost Prince_ but I recommend reading _Responsibilities_ last and then _Man Comes to the Pride Lands_ because _Responsibilities_ is a midquel of _Mheetu_ with a final section that takes place after _The Rogue Pride_, so it will probably spoil some of the plot for _Mheetu_, _The Lost Prince,_ and _The Rogue __Pride_.

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><p>Prologue<p>

The sky turned scarlet off towards the east. All over the Pride Lands animals roused themselves beneath the disappearing stars and made their way towards the enormous kopje known as Pride Rock. The sun crested the horizon and rose slowly into the sky, following the same track as the procession of zebras, giraffes, antelope, and elephants. It was well into the late morning when the kingdom's entire populace finished gathering beneath Simba's throne. Out of sight of the kingdom, the lions oversaw the wedding of Simba's daughter, Princess Kiara, to the Outsider Kovu, once the distrusted stepson of Scar and now Kiara's beloved prince consort. Simba and his wife Nala led their daughter and new son-in-law to the throne and presented the heirs to the kingdom. A celebratory roar erupted from the throat of every lion.

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><p><strong>The Lion King III:<strong>

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 1

It was a warm and clear day. Kiara bounded through a grassy trail that wound alongside the Zuberi River. Kovu followed close behind, his paws landing in his wife's footprints. Kovu glanced anxiously at the water, remembering with a chill that his mother and older brother had died at a dam in this very same river not too far downstream.

Not far behind the lions were Timon and Pumbaa, the loyal aides of King Simba. The meerkat rode atop the warthog's head, using Pumbaa's tusks as handles.

"Here we are," Kiara said over her shoulder, stopping near some bushes beside a large rock mound. Kovu watched as Kiara cleared the mouth of a cave by brushing aside the branches with her paw. "Go on," she said, motioning for Kovu to go in first.

Kovu looked quizzically up at the upper frame of the cave entrance, questioning its integrity. A pebble tumbled out of place as if on cue. A glance at Kiara's smiling face made Kovu's worry disappear and he entered the cave. Inside, a shaft of light shone down through a small hole in the ceiling, revealing the cave's interior. Kovu marveled at the artwork scratched into the stone wall of the cave. Lines swirled about the wall, branching off from each other to create the image of a tree.

"What is this place?" Kovu asked.

Kiara came up beside him. "This is our family tree," she replied. Using a claw, she pointed to a set of lines that split off of separate branches near the top and joined together. "Those are our branches."

Timon and Pumbaa observed from the cave entrance. "Genealogy," Timon sighed. "You know, I tried out that ancestry research stuff. Turns out my uncle's roommate's cousin grew apricots for a living. Whoopty do."

"I think it's cool," Pumbaa asserted. "According to my genealogy, I'm related to Jane Austen and Louis XIV."

Timon turned to the warthog incredulously. "What?"

Kovu stared at the line Kiara had indicated as his. It seemed fresher than the other branches, probably added not very long ago. Tracing his line backwards, he found its source in a branch he realized must have been his mother Zira. Two other lines branched off alongside his, which must have been for his brother Nuka and sister Vitani. Kovu's attention then returned to the line representing his wife, which branched off the joined lines of her parents, Simba and Nala. Following the lines further down, he found the line of his stepfather. "This one is Scar, isn't it?"

Kiara nodded.

"So, we're sure you and Scar aren't related?" Timon asked Kovu.

The dark lion glanced down at the meerkat and nodded. "Like I've said before, he wasn't really my father," Kovu confirmed. "Does it matter at this point?"

"Uh, yeah!" Timon replied adamantly. Turning aside to the readers, Timon declared, "Parents, we do not condone incest here at Disney. Please stop sending the angry letters."

"Didn't they plan on making Scar Kovu's dad in the first draft of the script?" Pumbaa recalled.

Timon quickly grabbed Pumbaa's snout and forced it closed. "We never talk about that!" Timon hissed.

Kiara and Kovu did not notice Timon and Pumbaa breaking the fourth wall.

"Who made this?" Kovu asked, referring to the family tree.

"Rafiki," Kiara replied. "These are the lines of my grandparents," she said, gesturing to the four lines that wound below Simba and Nala. "These two are my father's parents, Mufasa and Sarabi. And these are the lines of my mother's parents, Sarafina and Leo…"

Kovu was momentarily distressed by the mention of Simba's father. It was Kovu's own stepfather who murdered Mufasa and Kovu knew, even now, that this relation troubled Simba, though the king was trying very hard to form a friendship with Kovu despite his ties to Scar. Hoping to get his thoughts off this troubling history, Kovu focused on Kiara's other grandparents. He'd met Sarabi and Sarafina at Pride Rock but this was the first he'd heard of Nala's father. "Leo?"

"He's a lion who lives in Rogue Haven," Kiara replied.

"Rogue Haven?"

"Yes. All the males in our family live out there, except for the king and his heir. Even Scar lived out there for a while. My mother used to take me to Rogue Haven to visit my grandfather when I was young, and sometimes they come visit us."

"You mean your father doesn't banish the other males?"

Kiara shook her head.

Kovu sighed. "Scar did."

Kiara nodded. "I know. You see this line next to my mother's. This was her younger brother."

"I didn't know your mother had a brother," Kovu admitted.

"He was driven from the Pride Lands during Scar's reign."

Kovu nodded. "I see. Where is Rogue Haven?"

"Not too far. It's on the border of the Pride Lands in the direction where the sun rises each morning."

Kovu shrugged. "I'll have to check that place out sometime." Absentmindedly, he lifted his paw and stroked the branch for his wife on the family tree. As he did so, some dirt fell from the wall to reveal a hidden line beside her branch.

"What's that?" he asked.

Kiara moved closer to the tree. "I don't know. I've never seen that before."

"It comes off of Simba and Nala's branches like yours," Kovu observed. Then, his eyes widened. "Oh…"

"That can't be right," Kiara replied, not noticing the distressed expression on Kovu's face. "According to this, I have a sibling. But I don't have any brothers or sisters."

"Actually," Pumbaa began before Timon could cover Pumbaa's mouth a second time.

"Oh crap. Simba's gonna kill us!" the meerkat mumbled.

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><p>Simba rested peacefully outside the entrance to the lions' den, his paws propped beneath his chin. Not yet fully recovered from the injuries he sustained in the battle with Zira, he savored this brief moment of rest before he would be called back to his kingly duties.<p>

"Father," Kiara called.

Simba opened an eye and watched his daughter's hurried approach. Kovu trailed behind with a distressed look on his face.

"Kiara," Kovu protested, "he's resting. Let's not bother him right now."

Timon and Pumbaa huddled behind a rock. "Wow, things are about to get really messy," Timon whispered. "Way to go Pumbaa!" he snapped angrily at the warthog.

"Sorry," Pumbaa said guiltily. "What am I sorry for again?"

Simba lifted his head and yawned. Kovu stopped in his tracks at the sight of the king's inadvertently bared teeth. Although he once believed himself capable of taking on the king, Kovu had begun to notice the difference in their size more acutely since he became Simba's son-in-law.

Simba stood and stretched his limbs. "What's on your minds?"

"Kovu and I just visited the family tree," Kiara said.

Simba's eyes widened. "Is that so?" he mumbled.

"Kiara," Kovu said more forcefully. "This is not the right time…"

"We found a branch that I've never seen before."

Simba lowered his gaze to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Simba," Kovu said. "I didn't mean for her to find out. I didn't even know about this family tree until we got there…"

Kiara glanced at Kovu suspiciously. "Kovu, do you know what's going on?"

"Kiara," Simba sighed, regaining his daughter's attention.

"Would _someone_ please tell me what's going on?" Kiara demanded. "Is the family tree accurate? Do I have a sibling?"

Simba took an unsteady breath. "Yes, you did have a sibling," he confirmed.

Kiara sat down heavily. "Did?"

"You had an older brother."

Kiara shook her head. "Why didn't you tell me? How could you keep something like this from…"

"Kiara," Nala cautioned, exiting the den.

Kiara turned to her mother and saw tears in the queen's eyes. Looking back at her father, Kiara finally saw the tears trickling down his cheeks as well.

"I'm sorry you found out like this," Simba said, his voice quivering slightly. "Your mother and I thought it would be better for you. You wouldn't have missed someone you didn't remember?"

As the king finally exposed his grief, Kiara moved closer and nuzzled Simba beneath his chin. The king tenderly returned her affection. "It's time you knew," he whispered.

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><p>Simba and Kiara returned to the Zuberi River, and the king led the princess to a cliff a few miles down from the dam where Zira and Nuka met their deaths. The king looked over the edge into the churning water below.<p>

"What was his name?" Kiara asked.

"His name was Kopa," the king sighed.

"Kopa," Kiara whispered, letting the name settle on her tongue for the first time.

"This accursed river has taken so many lives," Simba said softly.

"You mean Zira and Nuka," Kiara ventured.

Simba nodded.

"And…" Kiara began. "Kopa?"

Simba sighed deeply. "Do you know why I banished Zira and her followers to the Outlands?"

Kiara nodded. "They supported Scar…"

Simba shook his head. "That wasn't the real reason – or at least not the only reason. You don't remember because you were still so small when it happened. After Scar's death, I tried to appeal to Zira. But nothing I could say would placate her. She wanted vengeance for her mate's death. And she took it…"

Kiara felt her eyes fill with tears.

"She brought Kopa here and…"

"No," Kiara wept.

Simba looked away. "I was too late. She threw him from this cliff – and just laughed, screaming Scar's name over and over. I struck her to the ground and still she would not stop laughing. I was ready to kill her but her cubs – Nuka, Vitani, and even little Kovu. They intercepted me and…" Simba raised his streaming eyes to the heavens. "I just couldn't finish it. I wanted to so much but I couldn't take their mother from them."

Kiara pressed herself against Simba.

"So I banished her – and every lioness who showed sympathy for her." Simba looked down at Kiara. "The rest of the story you know."

_Three lives_, Kiara thought. _Not two. Three…_

"I know you think I was too overprotective of you – but now you know why. I just couldn't lose you the way I lost your brother."

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><p>Maniacal laughter – it was that female again. Who was she? Why was she doing this? He backed away from her. All he could see of her were those wild eyes! Blood trickled from her injured ear. She lifted a blurred claw and swiped at him. He moved away – then he was falling! The world vanished!<p>

Chaka jerked awake, inadvertently kicking the older lion sleeping next to him.

"Chaka?" Mheetu gasped, turning to his younger companion.

Chaka glanced around their small hollow, reassuring himself of his whereabouts. He looked at Mheetu, concern in the older male's eyes.

"Sorry," Chaka mumbled sheepishly.

"That dream again?" Mheetu said.

"Yeah." Chaka rose from the ground and stretched. It was still nighttime outside the cave "I'm gonna get a drink."

"All right," Mheetu replied, lowering his head.

Chaka left the den and walked to the edge of the river outside their cave. He leaned down and licked up a few mouthfuls of water, which soothed his burning throat. He sat and let the breeze cool his tense back. As the last dregs of the nightmare cleared away, Chaka stared at his reflection in the river, aqua-colored eyes returning his stare.

The stars were full and bright. Chaka looked up and had the feeling that there was something he was supposed to remember about the stars. He struggled to recall what he was supposed to remember.

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><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 2<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 2

Kiara returned to the cliff many times throughout the following days. She lay near the edge and looked down to the rocky waters below - where her brother fell so many years ago.

"Forget something?" Kovu asked, taking a seat next to her one evening.

Kiara glanced at him questioningly. She noticed that the claw mark over his left eye was diminishing thanks to Rafiki's medicine. "Forget what?"

"Your hunting lessons," he reminded her.

Kiara winced. "I'm sorry," she sighed.

"It's all right. You've got a lot on your mind," Kovu said, nuzzling her face. "Besides, I kind of like this dynamic we've set up. The male brings home the bacon while the female stays at home with the kids – totally subverting the lion family structure." He gave her an alluring smile. "Speaking of kids…"

"I don't think so," Kiara said. "I like traditions. You stay home with the kids and I'll bring home the bacon." Kiara glanced around. "Pumbaa's not around, is he? I don't think he'd appreciate this talk of bacon."

Kovu laughed.

Kiara turned back to the river and her smile faded. "Everything was finally okay. Our pride is whole again, my father trusts you – then I have to go and drag my parents through this," she gestured to the river, "all over again."

"This isn't your fault, Kiara."

"It's as if this family can't help but eat itself alive," she continued. "I know Scar and Zira did terrible things – hurt this family irrevocably – but they were still part of us. Why do we keep hurting each other?"

Kovu couldn't answer.

"You knew Kopa, didn't you?" Kiara asked.

Kovu nodded. "Not very well but we played together sometimes. He was only a little younger than I was." Kovu smiled then. "He was a lot like you, my little Shani."

"Shani?"

"It means 'curiosity' and 'adventure.'"

Kiara smiled and looked up at the stars. "Where do you think the rest of us go? Father always said that the Great Kings looked down on us from the stars but what about the others – those who don't become kings or queens? Where do they go when they die?"

"I don't know. Maybe they're up there too but they're just not as bright as the kings are. Maybe they're the clouds – or the rain…"

_Or maybe they're not up there at all_, Kiara thought sadly.

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><p>Kiara had a strange dream that night. Snuggled against Kovu in the Pride Rock den, her dream took her to a peaceful meadow of tall grass rustling in a cool breeze. The sky was a gradient of purple and pink with thin yellow clouds. Kiara loped through the grass, lured by a deep gentle voice on the wind. Soon, she saw the one calling her and, for a moment, she thought it was her father. The large lion with a red mane beckoned and, as she approached, Kiara realized it wasn't Simba. This lion was much more robust than her father but the resemblance couldn't be denied.<p>

"You've done very well, Kiara," the lion told her, nuzzling her cheek as she neared.

"Mufasa?" Kiara whispered.

Kiara's grandfather nodded and smiled warmly.

Kiara sighed in understanding. "I get it. This is a dream."

"Does that matter?" the long dead king asked.

"Of course. If it's a dream, then it's not real."

Mufasa cocked an eyebrow. "That hurts, my granddaughter."

Kiara looked around the hill they stood upon. "I'll admit this is not like any dream I've had before."

"Kiara, your work is not yet complete."

"My work?"

"We are one. You understand this better than any of us. This is why only you can bring the pride together again."

Kiara shook her head. "The pride _is_ together again. Kovu and I are together. The Outsiders have returned to Pride Rock. We're all home…"

"No, we're not. There are those who are still lost."

Kiara shook her head. "I don't understand. Who else is there?"

Mufasa placed a large paw on Kiara's heart. "You already know, Kiara."

At the touch, a vivid image flashed through Kiara's mind of a cub with golden fur and a tuft of brown mane falling into a river. The cub struggled to stay afloat and grasped a soggy log, holding his head above the water until he lost consciousness.

Kiara awoke then, finding herself beside Kovu in the lion's den. But she had brought someone with her from the dream. Mufasa stood at the entrance to the cave, looking gravely at Kiara. The princess rose slowly from the ground, careful not to awaken her husband or the other lions in the cave. She walked towards the specter of her grandfather.

"Kopa's alive," Kiara whispered. It was initially intended to be a question but it resolved itself into a declaration.

Mufasa nodded. Again, he lifted his paw to Kiara's chest, though this time, she could not feel the paw. Outside the dream, the specter had no real substance. Still, when Kiara looked down on her chest, she was shocked to find a white paw print against her heart. As she looked up, the specter dissolved into glittering vapor and disappeared.

Kiara stood bewildered outside the den, not fully comprehending what she'd just witnessed. She recalled her father telling her that the spirit of Mufasa once spoke to him. Kiara hadn't really believed him – but she did now.

Kiara spun about and opened her mouth to rouse the other lions but stopped herself. She realized how insane this all seemed. If she told the other lions what she'd seen, they'd say she'd only been dreaming – or worse, that she lost her mind.

_Perhaps I have lost my mind_, Kiara thought. She looked back down to the strange paw mark on her chest, which had turned her fur silvery white.

Kiara's gaze fell on her parents. She'd already caused them enough pain by reminding them of Kopa. She pondered on what to do for several moments. Her father stirred once but did not wake. Kiara stepped towards him and nuzzled his soft mane.

"I'll bring Kopa home," she whispered. "I promise."

With those words, Kiara silently bounded from the cave and made her way to the Zuberi River.

* * *

><p>"I've had it with this kid!" Timon declared, riding Pumbaa as the warthog followed the search party of lionesses. "First, it was those alligators when she was a cub…"<p>

"Crocodiles," Pumbaa corrected, coming a stop and lifting a hoofed foot pointedly. "Alligators are only indigenous to North America and East Asia."

Timon glared down on his friend. "Fine," he hissed. "First, it was those _crocodiles_ when she was a kid – then the brush fire, then the criminal boyfriend…"

"Hey," Kovu snapped, coming up behind them.

"Uh, heh heh, no offense, Kovu," the nervous meerkat said.

Kovu rolled his eyes. "Any luck so far?" he called overhead to the hornbill Zazu, Simba's majordomo.

"Nothing," Zazu called. "It's like she vanished into thin air."

Kovu shook his head. "She certainly is my little Shani," he mumbled, speaking the nickname without its customary affection. Lowering his head to the ground, Kovu sniffed for Kiara's scent. After a moment, the smell of Upendi filled his nostrils. "She's heading south," he told the group of lionesses, bounding ahead.

"That bloodhound stuff actually works?" Timon scoffed.

"Kovu's the best tracker in the Pride Lands," Vitani replied, accompanying her brother's search party.

The sun was high overhead and the search for Kiara had started hours earlier. The lionesses following Kovu's search party were tired and anxious. The trail Kovu picked up eventually led to the Zuberi River.

"This place again," Kovu snarled. His sister Vitani was likewise distressed. Kovu leaned down and searched for Kiara's scent again. "She's heading downriver," he declared.

"What is she thinking?" Vitani demanded. "The water just gets worse down that way."

"Hasn't anyone in your family learned to stay away from cliffs by now?" Timon shouted in exasperation.

"There's no need for the whole party to go beyond this point," Kovu declared. "I'll continue on from here with Pumbaa and Timon. The rest of you return to Pride Rock and report to the king."

"You're going alone?" Vitani scoffed. "With just these two?" She regarded Timon and Pumbaa incredulously.

"They're reliable," Kovu assured her.

Vitani glanced at the warthog and meerkat once more. They grinned back at her. "If you say so," she mumbled uncertainly.

"Zazu, you'll come as well," Kovu called to the majordomo circling above. "You'll be able to report back to the king quickly when we find Kiara."

"If we find her," the hornbill said forlornly.

"_When_ we find her!" Kovu asserted, taking off down the bank of the river.

"You better not get yourself killed!" Vitani shouted. "Don't forget, you're all the family I've got left!"

"Love you too, Sis," Kovu responded over his shoulder.

The lionesses watched his retreating form before heading back to Pride Rock.

"You ready, Buddy?" Timon asked Pumbaa.

Pumbaa puffed out his chest. "They call me – Mis – ter – Pig!"

"Love the enthusiasm but the one-liner doesn't really fit the situation."

"Onward!" Pumbaa declared, rushing forward after Kovu, Timon grasping the warthog's ears for dear life.

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><p>If Kopa was alive, it seemed logical that the river would lead down to where he got out of the water. Kiara traveled many miles along the river's edge. As she walked further and further from the Pride Lands, she began to wonder - if Kopa was alive all this time, why hadn't he returned to Pride Rock?<p>

Night fell and Kiara felt discouraged, knowing that the pride must have been frantic by now over her silent departure. She should have known that the journey would take longer than a day. Perhaps she should go back and explain.

_No_, she decided. _The others won't believe me. They'll be angry – and for good reason. If I return now, they'll never agree to come with me to find Kopa. And they certainly wouldn't let me go off on my own again._

So she walked on. At night, she slept in the tall grass. For water, she drank from the river that had carried off her brother. Another day passed – then a third. She cringed at the thought of what her parents must have been going through. Even if she did find Kopa and bring him home, she wasn't sure if her parents would ever forgive her for disappearing the way she did.

Late into the third evening, she came to a log that crossed to the other side of the river. Perhaps Kopa was on the other side of the river and didn't know how to get across. Thinking this, Kiara stepped up onto the log and walked towards the other end. The river was strong here and Kiara moved carefully so as not to fall in. Halfway across the bridge, she felt the log shutter. She froze, her claws digging into the bark. The log began to split beneath her and she lunged towards the other side of the river. The bridge fell from beneath her and her claws helplessly slipped from the bank.

She instantly found herself beneath the water, the currents flipping her over and over again. She lashed out with her claws, trying to grip anything to stop her tumbling. She roared in terror and bubbles rushed from her mouth. She flipped over once more and struck the back of her head against the bottom of the river, the whole world turning black.

* * *

><p>Chaka saw the female as she fell into the river. He rushed to the bank and watched as her rippling form flew past beneath the water. He ran alongside the river, keeping pace with her. The waters would be calmer several yards down but the question was whether she would still be alive by then. He followed her along several feet of rapids and rounded a bend where the water became smooth. He scanned the water for the lioness but she did not resurface.<p>

"Damn it!" Chaka snapped, leaping into the river.

Neither of the lions could be seen for several moments. A group of vervet monkeys watched anxiously from the trees.

Chaka burst from the river, dragging the lioness by the scruff of her neck. He pulled her up onto the bank and shook himself dry. Gently turning her over, he tried to coax her awake.

"Hey, are you dead?" he shouted.

She didn't wake up. Chaka pushed her forelimb away to reveal a chest with a strange paw-shaped patch of white fur. He pressed his ear to her chest and listened for her heartbeat. He let out a sigh of relief at the soft thudding against his ear.

"You are one lucky chick," he whispered as he removed his ear from her heart. As he looked down at her, he was startled to find that the patch of white fur on her chest was gone. Perhaps he'd rubbed it off with his cheek.

* * *

><p>Mheetu was waiting inside the den when Chaka crested the hill outside their cave. The older lion caught his adopted brother's scent on the breeze and went out to meet him, his eyes widening at the sight of the unconscious lioness slumped along Chaka's strong back. "Wha…" Mheetu began.<p>

"I know," Chaka sighed. "Look at what the cat dragged in."

Mheetu regarded Chaka blankly.

"Yeah, that was kind of a lame one-liner, wasn't it?"

"Where did she come from?" Mheetu demanded.

"Don't know. She fell in the river. I couldn't wake her up."

"Bring her inside," Mheetu ordered, hurrying into the cave.

Chaka stood outside for a moment. "_Way to go Chaka_," he grumbled, trying to mimic Mheetu's deep voice, "_you saved the damsel from certain death_." Then, in his normal voice, "I only did what any Good Samaritan would do. _No, I'm serious. There is no lion braver than you. _Oh, Mheetu, do go on."

"Chaka!"

"I'm coming!" Chaka snapped. "Honestly, I get no friggin' appreciation around here."

Mheetu swept several bones from their dinner off a slab of stone they often used as a bed. Chaka brought the lioness into their home and gently eased her off his back onto the stone bed. She did not stir and Chaka backed away so Mheetu could examine her. The older lion gently pulled her eyes open to see if her pupils reacted. Satisfied with her ocular reactions, he pressed a paw against her throat to feel her pulse.

"What does that even do?" Chaka asked. Most lions are ignorant about the importance of checking vitals.

"She appears all right," Mheetu reported, ignoring Chaka's question. "How long has she been unconscious?"

Chaka took a moment to estimate. "About half an hour, I think."

"She's lucky you were there." Mheetu gave Chaka a proud smile.

Chaka shrugged.

The lioness moaned suddenly, pushing away Mheetu's paw. She struggled to lift her head.

"You're awake," Mheetu declared happily. "Thank goodness!

Chaka moved closer to the female, whose eyes fluttered open. "We weren't sure you'd make it," he told her softly. "How do you feel?"

Kiara blinked several times. As her vision cleared, she saw her father's comforting face gazing at her. "Father?" she mumbled.

Chaka looked at Mheetu, who only shrugged. Turning back to Kiara, he laughed nervously. "Uh… I think you might have your lions crossed."

Mheetu gave Chaka a withering glare.

"What?" Chaka said defensively. "It was a joke."

Kiara opened her eyes wider and realized the lion she was staring at wasn't her father. He was smaller, about the same size as Kovu. His mane was brown instead of red and not as smooth or full as Simba's. Also, his eyes were a different color – Simba's eyes were a reddish brown and this lion's eyes were aqua-green. Still, the resemblance to her father was uncanny and, for a moment, she wondered if perhaps this was Kopa.

"Anyways, my name is Chaka," he informed her.

Kiara lowered her head in disappointment.

"This over here is my brother Mheetu."

Kiara turned to the older male. Mheetu was a white lion with a thick light brown mane, small dark brown eyes, and a large snout. His stature was impressive, larger than her father in fact – even larger than Mufasa's ghost.

"Don't be afraid," Mheetu said gently. "You're safe here."

"Where's here?" Kiara asked.

"Our home," Chaka explained. "I brought you here after I pulled you out of the river."

Kiara recalled being rescued by Kovu in a similar fashion not too long ago. She tried standing but dropped back down with a wince, the back of her head throbbing.

"Easy there," Mheetu cooed, gently restraining her. "You need time to recover."

"I can't stay," she protested. "I have to find my brother."

"Young lady, you're in no shape to go wandering off on your own, and it's the middle of the night after all. Rest until morning and we'll see how you're doing then."

Kiara sighed and gave a reluctant nod. Lowering her head, she fell back asleep under the watchful gaze of the two lions.

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 3<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 3

Roughly a day's journey from the den where the kindly lion Mheetu and his adopted smart-aleck brother Chaka were nursing Kiara, Kovu and his companions entered a small damp cave off the bank of the Zuberi River to spend the night. Kovu entered first and came to a sudden halt, Pumbaa and Timon stumbling into him.

"Hey, what's the deal?" Timon demanded, looking around Kovu. His eyes bulged open and he released a high-pitched scream, leaping into Pumbaa's forelimbs.

Zazu flapped down beside the three other animals and gasped. "My word!"

The skeletal remains of a lion lay sprawled near the back of the cave.

"Even dead, you lions freak me out!" Timon shouted.

Kovu ignored his companions and approached the skeleton, observing the leathery scraps that were once its skin. As he examined the skull, he let out a horrified gasp. "It's my mother," he said.

Timon and Pumbaa's jaws dropped to the floor.

"How can you tell?" Zazu asked.

Kovu gestured to the skull. One of its leathery ears was still intact, a familiar notch still evident in the rim.

Laughing nervously, Timon said, "A lot of lions have notches in their ears. That doesn't necessarily mean…"

"I can also tell by the scent," Kovu insisted. "It's her. I'm sure of it." He sat down heavily. "Part of me didn't really think she was dead."

Pumbaa edged closer and patted Kovu's side.

"She must have survived the river. Then, she pulled herself in here," Zazu suggested, "only to die from her injuries."

"Gosh, I'm really sorry, Kid," Timon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kovu shook his head. "Kiara tried to save her but my mother refused her help. Zira chose her fate. I'm not going to grieve over her a second time."

The other three animals exchanged disturbed glances.

Kovu examined Zira's skeleton more closely. "Wait," he mumbled, his gaze moving from the skeleton to the ground beneath it.

"What is it?" Pumbaa asked.

Edging towards the side of the cave, Kovu examined the floor, his eyes tracing a path from the skeleton to the entrance of the cave. "Look at these drag marks. Something pulled her in here."

Timon shrugged. "Maybe someone tried to save her."

Kovu moved back to the skeleton. "My mother fell into the river about a week ago," Kovu reminded them. "A body doesn't decompose this quickly."

"What are you saying?" Zazu demanded.

"I'm saying, something dragged my mother's body from the river, brought her in here, and ate her."

Timon's fur took on a lighter shade. "I don't know about you guys but I sure as heck don't mind finding another place to sleep."

The others quickly agreed.

* * *

><p>Kiara woke up an hour before sunrise. The sky was already turning blue towards the east as she exited the cave. She wondered where the two males who saved her had gone.<p>

A few moments later, Mheetu and Chaka crested the hill outside their den, dragging a dead zebra with them. "Breakfast time," Chaka said awkwardly out of the corner of his mouth, his jaws clamped on the zebra's neck.

The lions set the zebra down before Kiara.

"Ladies first," Mheetu declared.

Kiara shook her head. "Traditionally, the males of the pride eat first."

"That's kind of you, Princess, but this isn't actually a pride. We're just a couple of rogues…"

"How did you know I was a princess?" Kiara demanded.

"Are you kidding?" Chaka laughed. "A dainty little thing like yo… Ouch!" Mheetu had elbowed Chaka in the side.

Kiara looked around. "You don't belong to a pride?"

"Things are a little different out here in the wilderness, Milady," Mheetu explained. "Males like us are banished from our prides when we come of age…"

"Or earlier," Chaka mumbled bitterly.

"That's terrible," Kiara explained.

"It's not so bad – if you have a brother to keep you company." To this, Mheetu ruffled Chaka's mane.

"Lay off," Chaka sighed irritably.

"So please," Mheetu continued. "Go ahead. You must be starving."

Kiara nodded. "Thank you. Both of you."

Chaka smiled sheepishly.

Once the three had finished their meal, they lounged outside the cave, Kiara listening to the males as they told her about themselves.

"So there he was, barely finished growing his mane," Mheetu explained, "thinking he could take on a full grown elephant…"

"Do we really need to get into this?" Chaka demanded. "Let's just say, someone won the fight – and someone didn't, end of story. Besides, me and Tembo resolved our differences."

"Tembo?" Kiara asked.

"A friend of ours," Mheetu explained.

"That reminds me," Chaka interrupted, turning to Mheetu. "Tembo says his herd had another run-in with that rogue the other day. It went after one of the calves."

"Another rogue?" Kiara asked.

"Nothing to trouble yourself over," Mheetu assured her.

"I wouldn't say that," Chaka disagreed. "She's lucky I found her and not that other rogue. Haven't seen him but from what I've heard, guy's a complete psycho. Doesn't just kill and eat his prey. He tortures them – mutilates them while they're still alive."

Kiara frowned. "I appreciate the concern but I can take care of myself."

Chaka snorted. "Yeah, you really showed some excellent survival instincts walking across that rotting tree last night."

Kiara hoped they couldn't see her blush beneath her fur.

Mheetu regarded Kiara closely. "You mentioned a brother the other night," he reminded her.

Kiara nodded. "It's nothing. I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

"I can show you around, if you like," Chaka offered. "Help you find him."

Kiara looked at Mheetu.

"I'll stick around here," the older male replied. "Gotta keep an eye on the den, otherwise another pair of rogues might call dibs on it. But you youngsters go ahead. Chaka here knows these woods better than anyone – except me, of course."

"Finally showing your humble side, eh Mheetu?" Chaka teased.

* * *

><p>Kovu hopped from ledge to ledge, safely landing at the bottom of the cliff. The river flowed along to his right. He looked up to see Pumbaa and Timon staring over the edge apprehensively, Timon in his customary position on Pumbaa's head. "Come on, you two!" Kovu called.<p>

"In the time we've known each other, what makes you think either of us is physically capable of doing – whatever the heck you just did?" Timon demanded.

Zazu landed on Kovu's shoulder and gave the pair a sardonic look.

"Hey, we don't need no stink eye from you, Banana Beak!" Timon declared.

"Just step where I stepped and you'll be fine," Kovu explained.

"There is no way in he…" Timon's words were interrupted when Pumbaa tentatively leapt to the first outcropping in the cliff face. Unprepared for the movement, Timon slipped from his perch between Pumbaa's tusks and plummeted towards the earth. "I hate cliffs!" he screamed on the way down.

Kovu rolled his eyes and quickly leapt up, catching the falling meerkat safely in his mouth.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Timon chanted. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly noticed that Kovu's jaws were curled precariously around his mid-section. "Uh, you can put me down now."

"Incoming!" Pumbaa's terrified voice screamed from above. The three other animals looked up just as Pumbaa's rear end blotted out the sun.

"This is going to be a really bad day," Timon sighed just before Pumbaa landed on them.

* * *

><p>Kiara and Chaka walked side by side along the Zuberi River, which flowed past at the bottom of a steep hill to their left. Chaka glanced nervously at Kiara, having just listened to her story regarding Kopa. "Let me get this straight," he said cautiously. "Your dead grandfather told you that your brother, who everyone else in your family thinks is dead, is actually alive and living somewhere along the Zuberi River."<p>

Kiara sighed, "Yeah, pretty much."

Chaka came to a stop. "Kiara, do you hear your grandfather's ghost talking to you right now?"

Kiara glared at Chaka. "I'm not crazy," she asserted. "This is the reason I didn't tell anyone in my pride. Look, I appreciate what you've done for me but I can handle myself from here on out…"

"Be quiet!" Chaka whispered.

Kiara's eyes filled with anger. "How dare…"

Chaka flung himself at Kiara and pushed her into the bushes. He held a paw over her mouth and whispered in her ear. "There's something out there!"

Finally understanding, Kiara nodded and remained silent when Chaka removed his paw from her mouth. The two waited, listening to the forest. It finally dawned on Kiara that the woods were not supposed to sound this quiet.

"Wait here," Chaka whispered, edging through the bushes, "I'll see what's out there." Soon, he was out of sight.

Kiara huddled in the bushes. Several moments passed and she saw no sign of Chaka or the other creature that had apparently scared the entire forest into deathlike silence. Before she could stop herself, she called out to Chaka in a whisper. "Chaka? Chaka, where are you?"

No answer.

Kiara huddled down lower. Several more minutes passed before she suddenly felt a warm breath against her neck. Spinning about, she came face to face with a grotesque lion with sickly purple eyes.

"Hello, Sweet Heart," he growled.

Kiara cried out just before Chaka lunged from a nearby bush and tackled the lion into the open trail. Easily overpowering the smaller opponent, Chaka pinned him to the ground.

"Wow," the strange lion gasped. "Easy man! I didn't mean anything by it."

"Who are you?" Chaka snarled.

"Kidonda. It's cool, Friend..."

"Why are you following us?"

Kiara crept from the bushes to get a better look at their stalker. The skinny lion was filthy, his frizzy yellow fur and mane encrusted with dirt. The middle toe of his right paw was missing its claw, a jagged scar in its place.

Kidonda leered at Kiara. "She smells good," he told them. "That's why."

"You think that's funny?" Chaka snarled, baring his fangs.

Kidonda shook his head. "No, I don't think _that's_ funny. You want to know what I think is funny?"

Kiara knew instantly that she didn't want to know – but Kidonda told them anyway.

"What's funny – is that I'm not alone."

A dark blur lunged from the bushes and collided with Chaka, knocking him off the trail and down the hill towards the river.

"Chaka!" Kiara cried.

Laughing, Kidonda took off for the woods and disappeared. Kiara did not notice, her attention focused on Chaka as he and his new assailant tumbled towards the river.

The attacker caught himself by digging his dark claws into the earth. Chaka rolled several more feet until he likewise stopped himself by clawing the earth, only two feet shy of falling into the rushing river. He took a defensive stance and faced the attacker. He couldn't help but gasp at the hideous sight.

The lion before him was brown furred with a black mane. His right eye was emerald green and filled with terrifying insanity. His left eye was milky white and unseeing. The left side of his face had been disfigured, the twisted scar tissue a grotesque shade of purple. Patches of mutilated skin covered his entire body and he appeared to be missing both ears and a good section of his tail. The deformed lion gazed with hysterical rage at Chaka and spoke one word – "Simba!"

"Who?" Chaka replied lamely.

The hideous lion flew at Chaka, who tried to meet the attack with his own offensive strike but his claw was quickly blocked and the attacker threw his full weight against Chaka, knocking him on his back. Chaka felt rushing water hitting the back of his mane and realized his head was leaning off the edge of the bank. The other lion dug his paw against Chaka's neck and pressed the younger lion's head below the water.

Kiara charged down the hill and leapt on the attacker's back, digging her claws into his shoulders.

Letting out a surprised roar of pain, the attacker jerked himself sideways, falling off Chaka but at the same time knocking Kiara aside. As she fell to the ground, she looked up and took in the deformed lion's full appearance, and felt her courage vanish in an instant. The attacker growled at Kiara.

Chaka rolled away from the water and coughed his lungs dry before swinging his back leg around and kicked the attacker in the side, knocking him off the bank and into the rapids.

Kiara moved to Chaka and they watched the lion as it was swept away and disappeared beneath the currents.

"What the hell was that?" Chaka gasped, still catching his breath. Water dripped from his mane down his shoulders. He stood up and shook himself dry. Finally taking in Kiara's terrified expression, he moved close and nuzzled her cheek. "Kiara, what's the matter?"

Kiara's eyes were locked on the river, waiting for the monster to burst forth to attack them once again. She recalled the stories her family told her, remembered how they described this beast. It was supposed to be gone – supposed to be dead!

"That was Scar," Kiara whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 4<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 4

Half a day's journey from where Kiara and Chaka narrowly survived their encounter with the scarred lion, Kovu lowered himself into a small pool of water. Instantly, several small fish floated dead to the surface. Timon was already scrubbing himself with a sponge made of bundled leaves in the pond, muttering incoherently to himself. Zazu alighted on an overhanging tree, the leaves instantly turning brown around him and wilting off the branch. All three glared at Pumbaa, who stood a few feet away.

"Sorry," the warthog chirped.

Timon tossed his makeshift sponge aside and sniffed his armpit, his cheeks turning green momentarily. "It'll be a week before this funk wears off," he grumbled.

Kovu dunked his head underwater for a few moments before climbing out of the pool and shaking himself dry. He sniffed his forelimb and winced. "Looks like that's the best we can do for now," he sighed. "Let's get going."

"Not until the bird rinses off," Timon protested.

"Zazu, in the tub," Kovu ordered.

"But…" the hornbill began.

"Would you rather we tossed you in the rapids?" Kovu threatened.

"Yeah, better than the Heavy Duty setting on a washing machine," Timon teased.

"Fine," Zazu snapped, flying down from the tree and alighting in the water. He dived down and then pulled himself dripping from the pool. "Did it do any good?" Zazu asked, shaking his damp wings.

Kovu gave the bird a tentative sniff. "Not in the slightest," he gagged.

* * *

><p>Chaka finished scouting the river and hurried back to Kiara, who sat near the riverbank with wide haunted eyes.<p>

"Well, he didn't drown," Chaka reported. "There are some tracks leading out of the river about twenty yards down."

"Is he close?" Kiara asked, her voice quivering.

"No, it looks like he took off."

"It was Scar," Kiara insisted.

"Yeah, you said that already. Who _is_ Scar?

"My uncle," she said weakly. "Well, my great-uncle, actually. My father dethroned him before I was born. I don't understand what's happening. The hyenas killed him – that's what everyone believed."

"Well, something did mess him up pretty bad," Chaka noted. "Those scars he had could have been inflicted by a pack of hyenas."

"I can't believe he's been out here all this time."

Chaka studied her carefully. "You okay?"

Kiara shook her head. "I don't know."

Chaka replayed the attack in his mind, remembering the one word their attacker said. "Who's Simba?"

Kiara glanced at Chaka in confusion. "My father. Why do you ask?"

"That guy – Scar – he called me Simba just before he charged me."

Kiara studied Chaka for a moment. "I wasn't going to say anything but you do look – an awful lot like…" she trailed off.

"I see. That's why you called me 'Father' when we first met."

Kiara nodded. "When I first saw you – for a moment, I thought… Never mind." She looked away.

"What is it?" Chaka said, sitting down beside her.

Kiara sighed. "You'd just think I was crazy."

Chaka smirked. "Kid, that ship has sailed."

Kiara smiled a little.

"Come on," the young male coaxed. "Let's get back to the den. I need to let Mheetu know about Scarface."

"Scar," Kiara corrected.

"Whatever."

Kiara stayed close to Chaka as he led the way back. She studied their surroundings closely, seeing a million different hiding places where Scar may have been lurking. She shivered and touched her shoulder to Chaka's. The youthful lion gave her reassuring smile.

"How can you be so calm?" Kiara asked. "You almost died back there."

"I suppose," he replied nonchalantly. "Thanks for the save, by the way."

Kiara smiled in return. "I guess we're even now, eh?" She gave another quick glance at their surroundings. "This place feels so ominous now."

"Feels about the same to me."

"How long have you lived out here?"

"All my life. Well, actually, maybe not."

Kiara paused. "Huh?"

Chaka stopped too and thought for a moment. "Thing is, I don't really remember."

"You don't remember?"

Chaka sighed. "I don't remember anything from when I was a kid. When Mheetu first found me, I didn't know where I came from, what my name was… It was a miracle I even knew how to talk."

"You didn't know your name?" Kiara felt her heart begin to race.

"Yeah. Eventually, Mheetu just started calling me Chaka. That was the name of a thicket where I used to play when Mheetu was out hunting. Hey, are you okay? You look upset."

"You don't remember anything about your childhood?" Kiara interrupted. "Not even your family?"

Chaka shook his head.

"What do you remember?" Kiara insisted. "What's your earliest memory?"

Chaka regarded Kiara apprehensively. "The first thing I remember is Mheetu pulling me out of the Zuberi River."

Kiara felt as if a bolt of lightning struck her chest.

Chaka shrugged. "He's been like an older brother to me ever since."

Tears sprung to Kiara's eyes.

"Kiara, what's the matter?"

"Mheetu saved you from the Zuberi River?"

Chaka nodded, alarmed by Kiara's expression. "I guess, when I fell in the river, I hit my head or something – and that's why I can't remember anything before then."

Kiara felt a sob wrench her heart. "Mufasa was right," she choked out. "It really is you. Chaka, you're my brother! You're Kopa!"

Kiara flung herself at Chaka before he could respond, knocking him on his back. She buried her face in his mane.

"Kiara?" Chaka gasped.

"I found you," Kiara wept.

* * *

><p>Mheetu listened patiently while Chaka told him everything that had happened since they last saw each other. Kiara sat nearby out of earshot, watching the two males intently.<p>

"Do you believe her?" Mheetu asked, glancing over his shoulder at Kiara.

"Of course not," Chaka said emphatically.

Mheetu frowned.

"I'm not saying she's lying – just mistaken. I mean, come on - me, a prince? That's just…"

"I don't think it's all that far-fetched," Mheetu admitted.

"Huh?"

"Her brother falls into the Zuberi River and, right around the same time, I find you floating down the same river."

"Coincidence."

"It's not impossible," Mheetu said definitively. "Improbable, maybe but…"

"You think I should go with her?" Chaka scoffed.

"Even if you weren't her brother, I would say you have to go with her – to protect her from Scar. He's still out there."

"You sound scared of him," Chaka chuckled, stopping when he saw how serious Mheetu was.

"Because I am scared of him. I know him!"

Chaka paused. "What?"

Mheetu sighed. "I grew up in the Pride Lands. Scar was my king – or at least he was until I grew older and he considered me a possible usurper. If I hadn't left, he would have killed me."

Chaka's eyes widened.

The older lion smiled sardonically. "Small world, eh?"

"Is he really that dangerous?"

Mheetu nodded gravely. "The sooner you get Kiara home, the better. She's not safe out here. And, if she's right about who you are, neither are you."

Chaka looked over at Kiara and sighed. "All right then. We'll take Kiara home and get this whole mess sorted out."

"Not we," Mheetu disagreed. "You. I'll hang back and see if I can intercept Scar – keep him off your trail."

Chaka shook his head. "That doesn't sound like a good idea."

"Probably not." The older male shrugged but gave a dark grin. "But I've been hoping for a chance to make that tyrant pay for tearing my family apart."

"You said you were scared of him."

"I am – but I hate him more than I fear him."

"If you're going to take him on, let me help you. We can face him together."

"Not going to happen, Little Brother. Remember what I promised when I first found you?"

Chaka sighed. "You promised…"

"…That I would protect you."

"I'm not a kid anymore."

"Sorry, Chaka, but I'm going to have to pull rank here. I'm older, which means, you do what I say."

"You know, if I really am this Kopa guy, then technically you have to do what I say – me being a prince and all."

"Oh, so now you believe her?"

"I didn't say that."

"I'm getting a little tired of being left in the dark over here," Kiara called. "What are you two talking about?"

The two males regarded each other gravely. Eventually, Chaka closed his eyes and nodded in agreement. "All right," he mumbled.

Mheetu smiled coaxingly before turning to Kiara. "Good news, Milady. Chaka – or Kopa, I suppose…" Chaka shot Mheetu a dirty look. "…Will be taking you home now."

Kiara smiled.

Mheetu turned back to Chaka and wrapped his paw around the younger male's shoulders, pulling him into an embrace. "You stay safe, you hear me?"

"You too," Chaka replied.

Releasing his adopted brother, Mheetu watched as Chaka joined Kiara.

"Look, there's something I need to say," Chaka told the princess gravely.

Kiara moved close and nuzzled Chaka's cheek.

"I know you think I'm your brother but I don't think you should get your hopes up." Chaka waited for a response from Kiara but she continued to nuzzle him. "You're not listening to me, are you?"

* * *

><p>Kidonda watched as Scar ripped his way through a fourth okapi, disemboweling the squealing animal a few feet away from the carcasses of its three dead companions. One okapi would have been enough to feed the two lions but Kidonda wasn't complaining. Better Scar take out his issues on livestock instead of his partner.<p>

Kidonda finished gorging himself on the body of the first animal and lounged on a rock while Scar continued to mutilate his fourth victim. The hideous dark furred lion ranted incoherently, his fangs and snout smeared with blood and meat.

"Not Simba," Scar hissed. "Too young – eyes not right. But Simba's in the boy. The girl too – she has Simba inside her. They're both Simba – but not Simba…"

"Whatever you say, Boss," Kidonda mumbled.

"Not like Zira is in me," Scar continued, a line of red drool oozing from the corner of his mouth. He straightened up, his lifeless prey forgotten. "Zira, my soldier. Her flesh is in me – but not like Simba is in those two."

"Zira?" Kidonda asked. "Wasn't that the lady you ate last week?"

Scar spun around and roared at Kidonda.

"Sorry," Kidonda yelped, edging away. "Didn't mean anything by it, Bro."

"I'm not you're brother!" Scar roared. "I have no brother! No father! No mother! No nephew! They were all dead – and I was king!"

"Okay!" Kidonda cried. "You were king. I believe you. Just take it easy."

Scar turned away and began pacing back and forth, surrounded by the dead okapis. "But Simba wasn't dead. I remember now. The hyenas – my friends – they failed me. They failed me and Simba came back to life!" Scar caught his deformed reflection in a pool of blood. He touched the left side of his face. "They betrayed me."

Kidonda gulped. "So, what do you want to do?"

Scar placed his paw in the okapi's blood and smeared it across his scarred cheek. "I want their bleeding hearts in my claws…"

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 5<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 5

Kiara led the way, retracing her steps along the Zuberi River while Chaka followed close behind. "What are they like?" he called as they climbed over a fallen tree and entered a small clearing.

Kiara paused and looked over her shoulder. "Who?"

"Your folks."

"You mean _our_ folks?" Kiara specified, turning around to face Chaka.

The young male sighed. "No, I mean _your_ folks."

Kiara frowned, troubled by Chaka's denial. "Mother's one of the most powerful lionesses in our pride, though she's also the most kind and supportive person in my life." A smile touched the princess' lips then.

"And your dad?"

Kiara's smile widened. "He's the bravest and wisest person I've ever known – but also pretty stubborn and overprotective."

Chaka smirked. "It's no wonder, what with all the trouble you get yourself into."

Kiara was about to retort when the two of them noticed the sound of someone's stomach rumbling.

"Was that you?" Chaka laughed.

Kiara blushed beneath her fur. "Yeah, I guess so."

Chaka glanced around. "Let's get you something to eat." He noticed a partially rotten log and hurried over to it. Lifting the log out of the way, he revealed a crawling colony of ants. "Here we go," he declared.

Kiara blanched. "No way!" she protested.

"Oh, don't be such a girl," Chaka teased, collecting several ants on his paw and eating them. "See, perfectly edible."

Kiara regarded the crawling insects with revulsion. "I choose starvation, thanks."

"Suit yourself," Chaka replied, picking up a stick. "Check out what I learned from some chimpanzees." He plunged the stick down one of the ant holes and lifted out several large beauties.

Kiara watched wide-eyed as Chaka chewed the ants off the stick. "How can you enjoy those things?" she scoffed.

"I'll admit, they're not as good as red meat but when you live out here, you got to improvise on occasion. It's a survival thing."

"I've never missed the Pride Lands as much as I do at this moment."

"Careful," Chaka cautioned innocently, lifting his ant-encrusted stick towards Kiara, "you'll hurt their feelings."

"Get those things away from me!" Kiara protested, backing away.

"Come on, they don't bite – much."

"I mean it!"

"We're coming to get you," Chaka teased, moving closer with the ants.

Kiara leapt away and Chaka playfully chased her, waving the bugs at her. Kiara couldn't help giggling. She batted at Chaka and knocked his ants aside.

"We really need to teach you how to fight because this whole damsel in distress thing is just embarrassing," Chaka explained, grinning at Kiara roguishly.

Playfully growling, Kiara made to pin him, but Chaka rolled back with Kiara, using her momentum against her so that they flipped over and Chaka could pin her instead – not unlike how Nala used to pin Simba when they were cubs.

An enraged roar erupted from the other side of the clearing and a lion with light brown fur and a dark brown mane leapt into view, his furious green eyes locked on Chaka.

"Kovu!" Kiara gasped.

Without waiting for an explanation, Kovu lunged at the male who appeared to be restraining Kiara, knocking him off the lioness. The two lions instantly began clawing and biting at each other while Kiara protested, her words drowned out by Chaka and Kovu's vicious snarls.

"Yeah!" Timon cheered as he and Pumbaa watched from the edge of the clearing. "Kick his ass, Kovu! And this time, go for the jugular for crying out loud!"

"Princess!" Zazu cried happily, landing on Kiara's shoulder and hugging her around the neck with his wings. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Wait!" Kiara shouted at Kovu and Chaka. "Stop!"

Kovu appeared to have the upper hand, forcing Chaka onto his back. Then Chaka kicked Kovu between his back legs, catching the Outlander off guard long enough to force him on his side. Chaka restrained the dark furred male.

Kiara roared then, startling everyone in the clearing. "Both of you stop it right now!" she snarled, everyone taken aback by the uncharacteristic viciousness in her voice.

"He attacked you," Kovu protested.

"No he didn't," Kiara snapped. "He was teaching me how to fight. We were practicing!"

Kovu glanced at the golden male restraining him and then back at Kiara. "Oh," he replied lamely.

Timon sighed. "Man, just when it was starting to get good."

"You know this guy?" Chaka demanded.

"Yes," Kiara said. "He's my husband."

Chaka looked down at Kovu.

"Hi," Kovu said sardonically. "Sorry about the misunderstanding." He waited for a moment. "Do you think you could let me up?"

Chaka pondered this request.

"Chaka!" Kiara scolded.

"I'm thinking about it," he griped. A glance at Kiara's glaring face helped him to make up his mind. Releasing his hold on Kovu, Chaka took a couple of steps back. Kovu quickly got to his feet and the two males regarded each other distrustfully. Chaka finally took notice of Timon and Pumbaa. "You brought a snack?"

Timon and Pumbaa screeched and retreated behind Kiara.

"They're not for eating," Kovu growled, the fur on his back bristling.

"They're my father's aides," Kiara explained.

Chaka stared at the warthog and meerkat with a cocked eyebrow. "Really?"

Pumbaa and Timon nodded nervously.

Chaka glanced incredulously between Kovu and Kiara. "You guys are familiar with the food chain, aren't you?"

"Chaka, they're our friends," Kiara insisted.

Chaka nodded reluctantly. "Royals," he mumbled cynically.

"Zazu," Kovu said authoritatively. "Head back to Pride Rock and let the king know we found Kiara. We'll be home in three day's time."

"Yes, of course," Zazu agreed, taking wing and disappearing beyond the trees.

"Kovu," Kiara ventured, moving close to her husband.

"Do you have any idea what you've put us through?" Kovu snapped, turning a furious gaze towards Kiara. "How could you just take off like that – without telling your parents? Without telling me?"

"Dude, chill out," Chaka said. "She's fine…"

"I wasn't talking to you!"

"Chaka," Kiara interjected before the other male could respond, "Kovu and I need to talk. Could you give us a minute alone?"

Chaka shot Kovu a withering glare before strolling towards the tree line. Once he was out of earshot, Kiara faced Kovu.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just didn't think any of you would understand. I know that's no excuse…"

Kovu motioned for Kiara to stop and took a deep breath. "Just tell me what this is about," he instructed.

"Okay," Kiara agreed. "You're going to think I'm insane but – here it goes…"

* * *

><p>Mheetu's tracking skills were on par with that of Kovu's. Visiting the locations of Scar's previous victims gave him the scent he needed to follow. It was in the late afternoon, about three hours since Chaka and Kiara's departure, when Mheetu came across the rotting carcasses of four okapis in a small canyon.<p>

Approaching slowly, Mheetu knew Scar could be hiding behind any rock or boulder. He sniffed the air, the rabid beast's scent strong in this place. A skinny lion that matched Chaka's description of Kidonda wandered out from behind a boulder, jolting in surprise upon seeing Mheetu.

"Jeez, warn a guy why don't cha," Kidonda snapped.

Mheetu growled.

"Wow, hey Friend," Kidonda protested nervously. "There's no problem here…"

"You and your companion attacked my little brother earlier today," Mheetu growled. "We certainly do have a problem, _Friend_!"

"Wha… You think I had something to do with that?" Kidonda objected – not very convincingly. "No way, Man, that was all Scar. I had no idea…"

"Scar?" Mheetu snarled. "It really is him, then?"

Kidonda glanced over his shoulder at a possible escape route. "Oh, so you know him, eh?"

Mheetu roared angrily.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kidonda said, his voice suddenly calm and a grin spreading across his face. He looked up and Mheetu followed his gaze – too late.

Several loose boulders fell from overhead, seemingly crushing Mheetu beneath. Kidonda laughed and looked up to where Scar stood above the canyon, pushing the last of the large boulders off the edge of the cliff. The unscathed side of Scar's face showed no emotion as the boulders settled into place where the white lion once stood.

"Good aim," Kidonda cheered, grinning up at his partner.

Scar ignored his accomplice and began to leave.

"Hey, wait for me," Kidonda called, scrabbling up the canyon wall to try and catch up with Scar. He managed to pull himself up and over the cliff and disappeared.

There was no movement in the canyon for several seconds. Then, one of the fallen boulders began to rock. It fell out of place and Mheetu pulled himself bodily from the rubble, collapsing in a trembling heap beside the rock pile that had almost killed him. His snowy fur was sullied with dirt and his back right leg dragged behind him limply.

Mheetu gazed up to the cliff where Scar and Kidonda had departed from, his eyes wide with both terror and rage.

* * *

><p>They walked while Kiara told Kovu the reason for her departure from the Pride Lands, Chaka leading the way with Pumbaa and Timon close behind and Kiara and Kovu taking up the rear. It was night by the time Kiara completed her story and Kovu walked silently, his back tense and his eyes focused on the trail ahead of them.<p>

It appeared that Chaka was getting on well with Timon and Pumbaa – now that he knew they were Kovu's companions and not something to eat. "You guys have never had Chitoum?" Chaka scoffed. "How can you call yourselves insect aficionados?"

"I like you, Kid," Timon declared, patting Chaka's shoulder companionably. "Hey, Kiara, this guy's a riot. Where'd you find him?"

Kiara didn't respond. Her attention was on her husband. "Kovu?" Kiara whispered. "Kovu, say something."

"You're absolutely sure it was Scar?" Kovu said grimly.

Kiara nodded. "Yes, I'm positive."

Kovu came to a stop, his breathing hard and his face contorted with rage. "My mother died trying to avenge his death – and he's been alive all this time?"

Kiara was afraid to respond.

"What am I supposed to do with this information?" Kovu demanded, his teeth gritted and his eyes filling with tears of rage.

Kiara nuzzled him. "I'm so sorry, Kovu."

Kovu closed his eyes and forced his fury down, gently receiving Kiara's comfort. "If he'd hurt you, I don't know what I would do…"

Kiara looked towards Chaka, who'd stopped and was gazing back at them expectantly.

"If Chaka hadn't been there, Scar probably would have killed me," Kiara explained.

Kovu looked up at their new companion and frowned. "I appreciate that from him at least."

Kiara smiled.

"But I still don't like that guy," Kovu admitted. "You really think he's Kopa?"

Kiara sighed. "I know you don't believe me…"

"I believe you," Kovu said emphatically. "If you say he's Kopa – then he's Kopa."

Kiara regarded her husband in amazement.

Kovu smiled at her. "I'm not so sure about a long dead king visiting you in your sleep but you've never given me any reason to doubt you," he told her lovingly. "Well, nothing aside from taking off in the middle of the night and disappearing for three days."

Kiara lowered her face shamefully. "Are you ever going to forgive me?"

Kovu nudged her with his cheek. "Shani, I forgave you hours ago."

"It's getting pretty dark," Chaka called to them. "Why don't we camp here for tonight?"

"Now he's giving us orders," Kovu complained.

"He was just making a suggestion," Kiara sighed. "Honestly, it's like babysitting a pair of cubs."

"Fine," Kovu called back. "We'll spend the night here."

Kiara found herself a comfortable spot on the ground and waited for Kovu to lie down beside her.

"In a minute," he said, walking towards Chaka, who was digging in the ground to make it more comfortable. He turned around to meet Kovu.

"Kiara told me who you are," Kovu explained.

Chaka shrugged. "Yeah, and?"

"What game are you playing at?"

"I'm not playing any games," Chaka replied in a bored tone. "I was just trying to help Kiara get home. As for this whole Kopa thing, I don't know what to tell you."

"Kiara's certain you're her brother."

Chaka shrugged again.

"When we return to Pride Rock, we'll see who you really are."

"Whatever," Chaka said. "Just stay downwind of me. You smell like a buffalo's ass."

"Warthog's ass, actually," Timon corrected.

"Sorry," Pumbaa said.

* * *

><p>Simba lay on the edge of his throne, staring out towards the Zuberi River. The sun had disappeared beyond the horizon and the sky was slowly turning from a shade of pink to dark purple. His eyes ached from three sleepless nights and he could feel the pain of his previous injuries more acutely than before.<p>

Suddenly, a winged shape in the sky caught his attention and he lifted his head anxiously. When the shape became large enough to recognize, he stood and roared to garner the attention of the lionesses. Nala quickly joined him on the throne while the other lionesses waited near the mouth of the lion's den expectantly.

Zazu landed before the king, gasping for breath and making a hasty and clumsy bow before declaring, "Kiara's safe. Kovu found her and is bringing her back to the Pride Lands as we speak. She'll be home in three days." With those words, he dropped on his back and rested, his lungs heaving from the long journey.

"Oh, thank the Great Spirit," Nala exclaimed, pressing her face against Simba's mane.

"What happened to her?" Simba demanded. "Why did she leave?"

Zazu lifted his head to answer but merely collapsed again.

"It doesn't matter," Nala declared. "She's fine, that's all that's important."

Simba sighed and nodded. "Zazu, you did well," he told the hornbill.

"Thank you, Sire," Zazu sighed, continuing to lie at their feet in exhaustion.

Nala knelt down and picked the bird up gently in her teeth, setting him on her back where he could rest more comfortably. She began to head towards the lion's den. She noticed Simba didn't follow. "Darling?"

Simba glanced at her and smiled wanly. "I'll come in a little bit," he told her.

Once Nala had departed, Simba looked out towards the Zuberi River and heaved a deep sigh. As the sky turned from purple to midnight blue, he left his throne and made his way from Pride Rock to the hidden family tree where he once took Kopa. He hadn't been to the family tree since then.

As Simba pushed the bushes aside that hid the small cave, he felt a surge of pain rip through his chest. Choking back a sob, he entered the familiar hollow.

Moonlight was shining down through the small skylight above, illuminating the family tree. As Simba gazed on it, he pictured Kopa in his mind, scampering up to the family tree…

"_I don't get it," the cub said, scratching the tuft of mane on his head. He was about a month older than Simba was when Mufasa passed away. "They're just scratches on the wall."_

_Simba chuckled and took a seat behind Kopa. "These scratches each represent a member of our family," he explained, pointing to a branch near the top. "This one is you."_

_Kopa didn't seem to understand._

"_This one beside yours is your baby sister Kiara. Below the two of you is the branch for your mother and…"_

"_And that one next to her is you?" Kopa ventured._

"_That's right," Simba said proudly._

_Kopa studied the tree. "Okay, I get it now," he said. "So, that one at the top is me, this one below is you…"_

"_Right," Simba encouraged._

"_Then, those two below you are Grandma Sarabi and Grandpa Mufasa?"_

"_That's right, keep going," Simba said._

"_And these two below Grandpa are Great-grandpa Ahadi and Great-grandma Uru…"_

_Simba smiled warmly at his son's memory._

"…_And this one below Uru is – uh…"_

"_Come on," Simba coaxed. "You remember this one. Remember the Brightest Star?"_

_Kopa's ears pricked up. "Right, it's Great-great-grandpa Mohatu._

"_That's right. Good work, Kopa."_

_The cub glanced up over his shoulder at Simba and smiled roguishly. The king leaned down and nuzzled Kopa, who wrapped his paws around the king's neck and snuggled up against his smooth mane…_

Back in the present, Simba placed his paw on the spot where his son once sat, and wept.

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 6<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 6

It was late in the afternoon on the third day of their journey, Pumbaa and Timon leading the way while singing a lighthearted traveling song. Kiara was close behind, singing along with them to Chaka and Kovu's amusement, though both males refused to take part and instead brought up the rear of their caravan, Kovu a few steps behind Chaka.

"So let me see if I got this right," Chaka said, "Scarhead…"

"Scar," Kovu corrected irritably.

"Whatever. He's Kiara's great-uncle – _and_ your dad…"

"Stepdad," Kovu corrected once more.

"Still," Chaka paused and looked at Kovu incredulously, "that doesn't seem weird to you?"

Kovu shrugged. "Why should it?"

Chaka cocked on eyebrow. "Royals," he sighed, continuing on.

The wind blew in the same direction they traveled and brought with it a scent that Kovu found vaguely familiar. He paused and looked behind them, taking a deep whiff.

A childhood memory flashed through his mind. He was cradled between his mother's paws, looking up into the impassive emerald green eyes of his king, who bore a signature scar on his left eye.

Gasping, Kovu bounded up to Chaka and whispered, "He's close."

"I know," Chaka whispered back, neither of them wanting to distress their companions.

"It really is him," Kovu growled, stopping and glaring back the way they came.

"Before you go wandering off to take on your stepdad, let me remind you of one pretty important detail." Chaka pointed ahead towards Kiara, who was laughing cheerfully at something Pumbaa told her.

Kovu gritted his teeth. "You have no idea what he's done to this family…"

"Hey Dude, I'm all ears," Chaka replied, stopping as well to hear what Kovu had to say.

"My childhood was sacrificed for that bastard," Kovu growled, his glare pinpointed towards the hills they'd passed earlier that day. "My mother did everything she could to turn me into his successor – to make me just as cruel and vicious as he was. She destroyed herself thinking he was dead and now I find out that he just ran away – abandoned us…"

"Are you serious?" Chaka scoffed. "This guy was a murdering tyrant and you're pissed off because he's a deadbeat dad?"

Kovu glared at Chaka. "Like you'd understand. Your father…"

"I don't know who my father is," Chaka snarled. He glanced towards Kiara and noticed her looking back at them in concern. He quickly faked a smile and waved. "It's cool," he called out to her. "Just having a nice conversation about – uh, cantaloupes."

Kovu stared at Chaka blankly.

Kiara gave them a confused look before continuing on after Pumbaa and Timon.

"Cantaloupes?" Kovu said.

"I panicked, all right," Chaka snapped. "Look, I don't care what you or Kiara think. I'm not Kopa."

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm trying to keep your old man from hurting Kiara. Besides, she won't let this whole long lost brother thing go. The sooner her mom and dad see me and confirm that I'm not their son, the sooner Kiara and her parents can move on with their lives."

Kovu frowned suspiciously. "Why do you care so much about Kiara anyway?"

Chaka opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words. "I don't know," he confessed. "She's a sweet kid and I like her. That's all."

"Kid? She's not that much younger than you."

Chaka shrugged. "It's just how I see her – like a little kid or…"

"Or a baby sister?" Kovu suggested.

"Oh shut up," Chaka groused. "And stop trying to bond with me."

"Who said I was bonding with you?" Kovu said defensively. "I don't even like you."

"Good. I don't like you either, Schmuck."

"Asshole."

The two males stood awkwardly for a few moments.

"So, how about you man up and go take care of your wife," Chaka advised. "Stop being such a pussy."

Kovu muttered another insult, this one too vulgar to mention. Chaka replied with an even dirtier epithet as the dark furred male walked ahead to join Kiara.

As soon as Kovu and Kiara were well ahead, Chaka looked back towards the direction where Scar's rabid scent wafted. "If you've hurt Mheetu, I swear I'll tear you apart, you psychotic freak," he growled under his breath.

* * *

><p>Despite his broken leg, Mheetu was making good time – though not without pushing himself to the limit. He felt as if he were dying but would not stop his crooked jog. Scar and Kidonda's trails were growing fainter and fainter, though Mheetu didn't really need their scent to know where they were going. The two lions were heading upstream along the Zuberi River, just like Chaka and Kiara.<p>

The white lion came to a trembling halt and collapsed near the bank of the river, leaning over the edge awkwardly to take a few licks of water. He was only four or five hours away from the Pride Lands – away from his childhood home.

As Mheetu rested, his thoughts wandered to his mother and older sister, whom he had to leave behind when Scar's hyenas chased him from the Pride Lands. The memory brought back all the shame and embarrassment of being cast out and he didn't think he could bear to face the pride again – not after he failed to protect his family from Scar.

But then Chaka's face shoved its way into Mheetu's mind. Mheetu recalled the roguish smile Chaka used to make as a cub. The white lion chuckled, despite his decrepit condition. He referred to Chaka as his brother but, in all honesty, he thought of the arrogant, vulgar, and short-tempered young lion as a son.

And Scar was hunting him!

"Don't worry, Chaka," Mheetu sighed, pushing himself off the ground. "I'm on my way."

* * *

><p>They were making their way through a dense forest of strangle figs when a familiar grassy scent entered Kiara's nostrils. Smiling widely, she rushed forward and burst through the tree line, gazing happily on the Pride Lands. Kovu hurried to her side. "Welcome home, Kiara," he said affectionately.<p>

Timon and Pumbaa rushed past, tearing through the tall grass with loud hoops and hollers as they made their way towards Pride Rock, which loomed off in the distance.

Kiara laughed and looked back for Chaka, who hadn't yet made it past the trees. She hurried back to the forest to see what was taking him.

Chaka hesitated several yards from the forest's edge, looking strangely vulnerable to Kiara. The normally overconfident lion had fear in his aqua-colored eyes.

"Kop…" Kiara began, catching herself before she finished the name. "I mean, Chaka – what's wrong?"

Chaka didn't answer, his face filled with apprehension.

Kiara smiled gently and hurried over to him, nuzzling his cheek. "Hey," she cooed. "It's going to be all right."

Chaka gulped. "I trust you," he whispered.

Slowly, they made their way to the edge of the trees and Chaka looked out at Kiara's home.

The Pride Lands were the most beautiful thing Chaka had ever seen – as far as he could remember, at least. Rolling hills covered in jade green waves of tall grass stretched out for miles towards the faint outlines of gray mountains, where the sun was slowly descending. Umbrella trees accented the hills and Chaka could see at least three different watering holes from where he stood, each one with clear reflections of the purple sky above. And off in the distance was the most magnificent kopje ever – Pride Rock."

"Well?" Kovu said, smiling.

Chaka didn't respond immediately. "Yeah, I'm impressed," he replied simply.

The three lions made their way through the grass, stars beginning to appear over them near the east. It was roughly an hour before sunset when they saw the pride approaching, Pumbaa and Timon excitedly leading the way.

Chaka paused at seeing the lion at the front of the party, his smooth red mane blowing magnificently in the wind.

"Is that…?" Chaka began.

"Yep," Kovu confirmed. "That's Simba."

The king rushed ahead of the lionesses and bounded towards Kiara, tears streaming from his fiery red eyes. He quickly buried his face in her neck.

"I am so angry at you," he said, though his voice was clearly affectionate.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"Thank the Great Kings you're all right," he wept, continuing to nuzzle his daughter.

Chaka took a few steps back.

The queen was the next to arrive, joining Simba in welcoming the princess home.

"Mother…" Kiara began.

"Not one word," Nala said harshly, despite the fact that she was nuzzling Kiara just as fondly as Simba.

"I want to explain," Kiara asserted, "but there's someone you need to meet first."

Simba and Nala didn't move from their daughter but they did raise their eyes to the newcomer.

Chaka suddenly found the eyes of every lion in the pride directed at him. "Uh, hi."

Simba regarded the golden male for a moment and then approached, the princess and queen walking on either side of him. Simba stopped before Chaka, frowning.

Chaka looked up at the large lion and gulped.

Simba glanced at Kovu, who gave an enigmatic nod to the king. Chaka glanced between them, not understanding the meaning behind that nod. Then, to Chaka's complete surprise, Simba bowed his head respectfully towards Chaka. Lifting his gaze, the king addressed Chaka in a kind and appreciative tone. "On behalf of the Pride Lands, I thank you for safely escorting my daughter home."

As the king spoke, Nala studied the young lion's face and what she saw strummed a cord in her heart.

The king spoke on. "If there is anything I can do to repay you…"

"Wait!" Nala interrupted, moving past Simba to get a closer look at Chaka.

Chaka felt uncomfortable as the queen scrutinized him closely.

A look of disbelief crossed her face and Nala shook her head, as if she couldn't believe what she saw. "Kopa?" she whispered.

Simba stared at his wife in astonishment. "Nala, what are you…"

"It can't be," she said, a tearful smile spreading across her face.

"Uh…" Chaka responded.

"It is," Kiara said. "Father, look at him. Can't you see it?"

Simba looked from his wife to his daughter and then back to the young male standing in front of him. He stared at Chaka for a moment, and realized how similar the male was to the reflection Simba saw whenever he looked into a still pool of water. What's more, those aqua colored eyes were identical to the ones he gazed into when his son was still alive. "My son?" the king gasped.

Chaka took several steps back. "Wow, wait a sec," he interjected. "Folks, you got it all wrong. I'm just some guy… I was just making sure Kiara got home safely." He looked at the queen, king, and then Kiara. "I'm nobody, really. I'm sorry for the confusion. I wish you all the best but – I really have to leave."

"Kopa!" Kiara protested.

"Bye," Chaka sighed, turning around and running back the way he came.

The lions all watched in silent amazement as the youth fled. Pumbaa sat with tears streaming down his face.

"Man, that's one hell of a way to end a family reunion," Timon mumbled.

* * *

><p>It was night by the time Chaka made it to the forest of strangle figs. He paused on the border of the Pride Lands and looked back towards Pride Rock, sick with how he left things with Kiara and her family.<p>

"Sorry, Kid," he muttered.

He turned around and yelped in fright, flying backwards onto his back and edging away from the strange upside-down face he'd unceremoniously ran into – a face with blue cheeks, a red nose, a dark pink snout, grayish blue eyebrows, and big yellow eyes with small pupils.

"Rafiki does not see it," Rafiki said, hanging upside-down from one of the strangle fig branches.

Chaka regarded the creature in confusion. "What the hell are you supposed to be?"

Rafiki dropped from the tree and approached Chaka, using a walking stick to support his weight. A pair of gourds jingled on the stick's shaft. "That's quite a rude question to ask Rafiki."

Chaka got to his feet and cautiously examined Rafiki. "You look kind of like a mandrill," Chaka noted, "but you don't have a crest on your head." Chaka peered around to see Rafiki's back. "And mandrills don't have tails."

"Rafiki is a baboon – most days," the old creature said, walking past Chaka.

"Rafiki?" Chaka mumbled. "Do you always refer to yourself in the third person?"

"Depends," the baboon replied, not turning back.

"Depends on what?"

"What depends on what?" Rafiki countered, turning around to grin at Chaka.

Chaka stared blankly at Rafiki. "Huh?"

Rafiki released a high-pitched maniacal laugh.

"Okay," Chaka mumbled, "I'm gonna go now. Good luck with your raging insanity, it looks like you've got a pretty nice handle on it." With that, Chaka turned around and headed for the forest.

Rafiki smiled at the retreating lion. "Yes, Rafiki really doesn't see it," he sighed, referring to himself in third person again.

Chaka paused and sighed. "I'm going to regret this," he mumbled. Turning around, he took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll bite. What don't you see?"

The strange baboon/mandrill hybrid used its stick to catapult itself over to where Chaka stood, landing in front of the lion and touching Chaka's forehead with his finger. "Rafiki does not see the Lost Prince in here," he said.

Chaka stared wide-eyed at the primate. "Lost Prince? You mean Kopa?"

"Correct, you are," Rafiki declared. "So tell us, if you are not the Lost Prince, who are you?"

Chaka rolled his eyes. "Dude, you're asking the wrong cat. I have no idea who I am – never have."

"Everyone knows who they are," Rafiki declared, dancing around Chaka. "At least part of the time."

"Well, okay, I probably knew once but that was before I bashed my head against a rock in the river." Chaka tapped his head. "Now, there's nada up here."

"How many fingers?" Rafiki asked, holding up his pointer and thumb.

"Two," Chaka said automatically.

"How can you know that if there's _nada_ up here?" He tapped Chaka's head.

Chaka rolled his eyes again. "It was a nuance. Look, I don't have time for this. I got a three day's journey ahead…"

"You plan to travel by night?" Rafiki asked. "Delightful! Let the Great Kings light your way," Rafiki gestured to the stars with his walking stick. "Otherwise, Rafiki's sure the king would be a very kind host." To this, Rafiki gestured towards Pride Rock.

Chaka looked sadly at the kopje. "Not an option," he said. "I don't want to hurt that family anymore."

"How would you hurt the king's family?" Rafiki asked, leaning his head against his walking stick.

"They think I'm…" Chaka shook his head. "I'm not Kopa. It's not possible."

"No? He falls into the river – you're pulled out."

"I'm not a prince. It's ridiculous."

"How can you be so sure when you don't even remember who you are?"

"Look, I know I have amnesia but, even so, there's just certain things a person knows about themselves, even without their memory."

Rafiki appeared very intrigued by this statement. "Like what?"

Chaka struggled to answer. "Uh, well – for instance – I can just feel…" He sighed. "I know there's nothing worth while about me. Yeah, all orphans will dream about who they might be or where they came from and most will even dream that they do have families somewhere who love and miss them – but in the end, those are just dreams." Chaka gazed sadly at Pride Rock. "Please tell the king I'm sorry – and that if his son is alive – I hope they find each other someday." Chaka turned to leave.

"You leave now, and you'll always wonder," Rafiki warned.

Chaka paused and looked over his shoulder.

"Everyday for the rest of your life, you will look back on this night – and you will regret that you didn't make sure," the primate said gravely.

Chaka hesitated.

"You say all orphans dream – but they also wish." Rafiki closed the distance between them and placed a hand against Chaka's heart. "What does this orphan wish?"

Chaka didn't answer immediately. "I just wish I could remember…" Rafiki struck Chaka over the head with his stick. The lion shouted in pain and fell on his side, pressing his paws to his head. "Ow! Mother F-cker! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Do you remember now?" Rafiki asked hopefully.

"No!"

Rafiki looked at his stick in disappointment. "It worked with Simba," he mumbled.

"That really hurt you son-of-a-bitch!" Chaka continued to yell.

Rafiki thought a moment. A smile appeared on his face and he snapped his fingers. "Rafiki's got it!"

Chaka leapt away. "If it involves that stick, count me out!"

Rafiki glanced at his stick and shook his head. "No, Rafiki has a much better idea. Come on, now!" Rafiki took a few steps but stopped when he saw Chaka wasn't following. "Yes, this is a good idea. Trust Rafiki."

Chaka narrowed his eyes. "If this doesn't work, I'm going to eat you."

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 7<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 7

Chaka followed Rafiki upstream along the Zuberi River – the young lion was beginning to grow sick of this river. Eventually, they came to a pair of bushes situated beside a small kopje, which looked no more impressive than an anthill compared to Pride Rock. Rafiki pushed the bushes aside with his staff to reveal a cave that led inside the rock mound.

"You're kidding," Chaka scoffed.

"In you go," Rafiki encouraged.

A cloud passed over the moon at that moment, darkening the hills around them.

Chaka regarded the cave opening. "This isn't some sort of Pride Land hazing initiation, is it?"

"In," the monkey insisted.

Chaka sighed and walked past the baboon – or mandrill – into the kopje. At first, he could see nothing. Then, as the clouds above cleared away, a shaft of moonlight fell through a small crevice in the ceiling of the cave, illuminating the interior enough for Kopa to see an intricate tree design carved into the wall. Kopa approached the royal family tree and couldn't make out its meaning – at first.

Delicately, Chaka lifted his paw to trace the carved branches. He followed the lines from their base, a large founding root at the bottom that branched upwards to encompass eight generations. The branches of smaller roots intertwined with the branches of the main bloodline, representing members who married into the royal family. Chaka's paw flowed naturally along the bloodline that led all the way up to Simba's children.

A striking sensation of déjà vu hit Chaka and he saw the cave illuminated by daylight in his mind's eye. He could hear someone speaking to him, though his or her voice was indistinct. Then, Chaka heard the voice of his younger self.

"_Okay, I get it now. So, that one at the top is me…"_

Chaka placed his paw on the branch symbolizing Simba's son. "Kopa," he whispered.

"…_This one below is you."_

Chaka moved his paw down to one of the two lines below Kopa and Kiara's. "Simba."

"_Right,"_ a grown lion's voice confirmed in his mind.

"_Then, those two below you are Grandma Sarabi and Grandpa Mufasa?"_

"Mufasa," Chaka continued, moving his paw down another branch.

"_That's right, keep going,"_ the older lion coaxed.

"_And these two below Grandpa are Great-grandpa Ahadi and Great-grandma Uru…"_

"Uru," Chaka intoned, touching a lower branch.

"…_And this one below Uru is – uh…"_

Chaka's paw paused on the branch of Uru's father.

"_Come on," the fatherly voice in his mind pushed. "You remember this one. Remember the Brightest Star?"_

"_Right, it's Great-great-grandpa…"_

"…Mohatu."

"_That's right. Good work…"_

Chaka's paw continued down the last two branches and settled on the bottom root.

"Amri, Asante, and…" It was then that Chaka finally knew who he was. "And Kopa, the First King."

"That's right," Simba said proudly. The lion that once called himself Chaka turned from the family tree and looked at his father, who stood in the cave's entrance with tears in his eyes. "Good work, Kopa."

Rafiki stood beside the king, smiling knowingly. "Now, Rafiki sees it," the shaman whispered.

Kopa glanced at the tree again and then back at his father. "You – you named me after the First King."

Simba nodded. "Do you know what Kopa means?"

Kopa nodded. "It means – 'the shape of a heart.'"

"That was what you were to all of us," the king explained. "You were our heart."

The small cave fell silent, Simba looking intently at his son, now a handsome young adult. Part of him wept for the years he missed watching Kopa grow up but another part of him felt the greatest joy of his life.

Kopa was the first to hear the rumbling overhead. "Look out!" he shouted.

At Kopa's warning, Simba leapt forward to safety as the boulders from on top of the kopje came crashing down on the cave's entrance, trapping the two lions and the monkey inside.

* * *

><p>Kovu led the search party to the edge of the strangle fig forest, where Chaka would have most likely departed. However, Kovu noticed that Chaka's scent had come to a stop.<p>

"Wait," he called to the group of lionesses who'd joined him. Nala, Pumbaa, and Timon also accompanied the search party. "His scent stopped."

It had been two hours since Chaka's abrupt departure. Most of the pride had returned to Pride Rock but a search party of the pride's best trackers was gathered to locate Chaka. The king and Kiara were also ready to leave with the search party when the king decided he had an idea of where Chaka – or Kopa, as the king was already calling him – might have gone. Simba advised the rest of the search party to continue on with Kovu to the strangle fig forest, just in case the king was mistaken. Kiara had followed the king.

Nala came forward and sniffed the ground with her son-in-law. "He turned back," she agreed. "Thank goodness – but why?"

"I smell a monkey," Vitani noted.

"The saying is, 'I smell a rat,'" Timon corrected.

"I think she means she smells an _actual_ monkey," Pumbaa informed Timon.

"The pig's correct," Vitani confirmed. "It's that baboon with the stick."

"Wow, lady, only _friends_ get to call Pumbaa a _pig_!"

"It's okay. Vitani _is_ a friend," Pumbaa declared.

Timon glanced at Pumbaa and then back at Vitani. "Really? You two are buds now?"

Vitani sighed. "Wasn't really my idea."

Kovu suddenly crouched low and growled towards the trees. "Something's coming."

The lionesses focused their attention on the trees while Timon and Pumbaa took cover. After a few moments, a large injured white lion limped out of the forest, examined the group of tense lionesses, and then collapsed in exhaustion.

"Chaka," he rasped.

Kovu and Nala moved closer to the lion.

"Who are you?" Kovu demanded. "How do you know Chaka?"

"He's in danger," the white male continued, taking deep breaths in between sentences. "He was followed. Scar's returned…"

"Scar?" Nala gasped.

Kovu slapped his forehead with a paw and groaned. "Oh crap!"

"Didn't we mention that?" Pumbaa mumbled.

"Man, I knew we forgot something!" Timon shouted.

"Kovu?" Nala demanded.

"I'm sorry," Kovu insisted. "I forgot to tell you. Scar attacked Kiara and Chak – I mean Kop – I mean… Damn it, what the hell is that guy's name?"

"But he's dead," Vitani protested. "The hyenas killed Scar!"

Nala's eyes widened. "We never found his body. We assumed that…"

"What, that the hyenas ate him flesh and bone?" the white lion mumbled reproachfully, still lying on the ground. "He's already here. He was several hours ahead of me."

"But we would have caught his scent," Vitani explained.

Kovu looked across the Zuberi. "Not if he traveled on the other side of the river."

"But where is he now?" Vitani demanded.

Nala's face filled with horror. "Simba!"

Kovu glanced once at the injured male before addressing the queen. "Your Highness, please stay with the rogue. We will go and protect the king. Vitani, I want you, Pumbaa, and Timon to stay here and protect the queen."

"You know, this whole prince consort thing has made you extremely bossy," Vitani pointed out.

"Just do it!" Kovu shouted at his sister before whirling around and leading the rest of the lionesses upstream.

Nala examined the white lion. "Just be still," she instructed. "Don't aggravate your injuries."

The white lion looked up at Nala and smiled. "So you're the queen?"

Nala nodded.

"I really hope your husband is a cooler cat than Scar was."

"You know Scar?"

"Quite a bit," the white male replied. "I lived in these lands while he was ruler."

"You did? What's your name?"

"Mheetu. It's a weird name, I know. My mother called me that because my first words were…"

"_Me too_," the queen interrupted. Her eyes filled with tears. "Mheetu, is it really you?"

The white male looked up at Nala questioningly. "Do I know you?"

"Mheetu, it's me. Nala."

Mheetu's eyes widened. "I don't believe it. Sis?"

* * *

><p>"Your Majesty, are you all right?" Rafiki demanded.<p>

"Yes, I'm fine," the king replied. He'd narrowly avoided being crushed by the rockslide. He stood up and turned to look at the damage. The entrance to the cave was completely blocked.

Kopa rushed past Simba and Rafiki, throwing himself against the pile of rocks blocking the exit. His shoulder struck the stones but didn't budge them.

"Shit," he snapped, rubbing his shoulder tenderly before turning to Rafiki. "Didn't you check to make sure this place was stable?" he demanded.

Rafiki glared at Kopa. "Rafiki never said he was an architect!"

"Shush," Simba instructed. "Listen."

Above them, they could hear the steps of paws.

"Father!" they heard Kiara shout from outside the cave.

"Kiara?" Kopa called back, thinking she was the one above them. "Where are you?"

"Outside the entrance. It's completely blocked off."

"Really?" Kopa responded sarcastically. "We had no idea!" He continued to hear the paw steps from above. "Wait, if she's out there," he pointed to the entrance before gesturing up at the ceiling, "then who's up there?"

Outside, Kiara dug at the rocks, scraping her claws against stone. "Are you all okay?" she shouted.

"Kiara!" Simba shouted from within. "Get out of here!"

"What?"

"Now! There's something on top of the kopje!"

Kiara backed away from the entrance and looked up. At first, all she could make out were the outlines of several large boulders on top of the kopje. Then, one of the outlines stood, revealing itself to be a dark furred lion. Its half mutilated face was illuminated in the moonlight.

"No," Kiara gasped.

"Kiara, what is it?" Kopa called.

A bloodcurdling laugh erupted from Scar's throat, evil chortles reverberating throughout the rock mound.

"Never mind," Kopa called again.

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 8<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 8

Kiara backed away from the kopje and Scar leapt from his perch, positioning himself between the princess and the caved in entrance. Kiara tried to mask her terror and growled lowly at the dark lion. Scar gave her a wild-eyed grin before turning to the kopje. "Simba," he called in a menacing singsong tone.

Inside the kopje, Simba felt the fur on his back stand on end. "Scar?"

"It's been a long time. You're doing well, I see."

"How are you still alive?" Simba demanded.

"Oh, it doesn't sound like you're happy to see me, Dear Nephew. That hurts my feelings."

"That's not the only thing that's gonna hurt when I'm done with you!" Kopa snarled, shoving his shoulder against the rocks blocking the entrance – to no avail.

"That boy of yours is quite spirited," the deformed lion said mockingly. "And your daughter," Scar turned to Kiara, who backed away cautiously, "very lovely, I must say."

"You stay away from her!" Simba shouted.

"You're in no position to give me orders, _Your Majesty_." Scar took a step towards Kiara.

"You touch her and I'll rip your f-cking head off!" Kopa roared.

Scar laughed and turned back to the kopje. "Boy, the only thing you'll be doing is starving to death. Oh, and before I leave you to your fate, allow me to thank you – Kopa, is it? It was you who saved me from my insanity – insanity that made me forget who I was. Seeing you – and your pretty sister – relit the hate I held for your father – that hate is more powerful than any madness."

"Is he seriously giving a monologue?" Kopa scoffed in disgust.

"Kopa," Rafiki whispered.

Kopa turned around and saw Rafiki hanging from the ceiling. The monkey gestured to the skylight and then slipped through it. Poking his head back in, he waved for Kopa to follow.

"Keep him distracted," Kopa told his father before running across the cave to build up his momentum. He leapt up against the wall and, using all his strength, hurled himself from the wall up to the skylight. He missed the first time and landed clumsily on the cave floor.

"Scar," Simba called, "don't do this. We're still family. We can put everything behind us."

"Don't insult me," Scar laughed, moving closer to Kiara, who lowered herself into a more secure posture.

Kopa made the skylight on his second try, digging his claws into the sides of the crevice. He scrambled up but could only get his forelimbs through the small opening, gripping the roof of the kopje with his claws while his hind legs dangled helplessly below him.

"Is it the throne you want?" Simba demanded, hurrying below Kopa so the younger lion could put his hind legs on Simba's back and give himself leverage. "Spare my daughter and it's yours."

"The throne?" Scar roared. "I don't care for the throne anymore!"

Standing awkwardly on his father's back, Kopa dug at the skylight and dislodged dirt and pebbles from the opening, slowly widening it. Simba winced at the weight on his back, still pained from the injuries he sustained fighting Zira almost two weeks earlier. Rafiki helped Kopa, scraping away handfuls of sediment and rocks to broaden the crevice for the lions.

"There is only one thing I desire," Scar declared, lifting a clawed paw to strike Kiara, "and that, Simba, is for you to suffer."

"You first!" Kiara snarled as she swiped at Scar, her nails still freshly sharpened from trying to dig the entrance clear. Her claws sliced deeply into the right side of Scar's face, leaving four bloody lacerations along his good cheek.

The hole was finally large enough to fit through and Kopa pulled himself halfway out of the cave.

Letting out a baleful roar of pain, Scar backhanded Kiara across the face, knocking her to the side. Dazed, she slumped against the earth and looked up as Scar prepared to deliver her a fatal strike.

Kopa yanked himself free of the crevice and leapt from the kopje. Arching through the air, Kopa came down hard upon Scar and the two tumbled away from Kiara. The older lion shook himself violently and knocked Kopa away, the youth quickly regaining his stance and positioning himself between his sister and Scar, fangs bared wrathfully. His claws extended and dug into the earth. "Stay away from my sister!" he roared.

Scar stared at the young male and smiled. "Come then," he hissed, turning about and fleeing.

"Kopa, wait," Kiara cried, standing up shakily.

"Help Dad out of the kopje," Kopa instructed as he took off in pursuit of Scar.

* * *

><p>Kovu and the lionesses ran alongside the Zuberi River, following it upstream. Kovu came to a stop near a line of crude stepping-stones that led across the river. "He crossed here," he told the party. "Scar's returned to the Pride Lands."<p>

"Are you sure?" a dark furred lioness asked, not wanting to believe it.

Kovu nodded. "I've got his scent." Turning to the five lionesses accompanying him, Kovu recognized the terror in their eyes. "I know you're all scared. Some of you were unfortunate enough to live through Scar's tyranny. Kula, Tama, and Sabini…"

Three of the lionesses nodded. Kula was a slightly overweight female with light brown fur. Beside her was Tama, a beige colored lioness with a tuft of scruffy fur on her head. And the third, Sabini, was a yellowish female with jade green eyes.

"You three know full well what we face. As for you two – Boga, Timira…"

The two younger lionesses exchanged nervous glances. Timira was the dark female who'd spoken before, a striking lioness with sharp features and a white tail tuft. Boga was the youngest in the group, a fair maiden with ochre eyes.

"All you know of Scar is what you've heard in stories. Up until this point, he's been a boogieman meant to scare you before bedtime."

"So far, this is one lousy pep talk," Boga muttered.

"Boga, don't interrupt," Sabini scolded.

"Sorry, Mom."

"But let me remind you of one important thing," Kovu continued. "When this pride is together, we can face any threat. As our king has told us, we are one! Now come!" He bounded ahead.

The lionesses, heartened by Kovu's words, continued on their mission.

Kovu had to admit, a narcissistic side of him enjoyed that rallying moment of leadership – but he was fully aware that, now that Kopa had returned, his right to the throne would likely be taken away. He wasn't yet sure how he felt about that.

* * *

><p>Though Scar had vanished into the darkness, Kopa chased his scent for a good mile. He thought he was closing in on Scar when he almost charged off the edge of a cliff. Skidding to a stop, Kopa glanced over the edge into a yawning gorge, unaware that this was the site of Mufasa's murder. Backing up several feet from the cliff's edge, he didn't immediately notice the yellow lion spying on him from the top of a boulder. Kopa lowered his head and sniffed the earth for Scar's trail.<p>

Kidonda raised himself and tensed his muscles for the pounce. He gritted his teeth to suppress a nervous giggle. The rogue leapt from his perch and Kopa spun about, surprising Kidonda with a sharp slap to the face. The strike sent the attacking lion spinning in mid-air and crashing into the dirt at Kopa's feet. Clumsily rising, Kidonda backed away from the threatening youth. "Aren't you the big man," he spat hatefully.

"Oh, you're pissed at me?" Kopa scoffed. "That's rich. You're the ones threatening my family and invading my home!"

"I had a home once, too," the rogue hissed. "How is it fair that you get to go home but I don't?"

"I don't give a shit," Kopa retorted.

"Scar and me are a pair – cast off by our prides like trash…"

"You are trash!" Kopa roared. "Where's Scar!"

"Close, and he's got my back." Kidonda didn't notice Kopa pause, the younger lion's eyes drawn by something behind Kidonda. "He and I are brothers!"

"Uh oh," Kopa mumbled.

Kidonda stopped and glanced over his shoulder. The last thing he saw was Scar's jaded expression. The deformed lion swiped at Kidonda with his claws, sending a streak of blood into the air as Kidonda dropped into a lifeless heap, his eyes staring sightlessly up at Kopa.

"Like I've said before," Scar purred, indifferently stepping over his dead companion, "I have no brother."

Kopa stared at Kidonda's body in disbelief. Then, he raised his eyes to meet Scar's half-blind glare and bared his fangs. "Bring it," the prince growled.

The two lions tensed themselves for the imminent battle, Scar seemingly unaware of the blood that stained his paw.

"Scar!" Kovu roared, cresting the hill with his band of lionesses.

Scar jerked in surprise and turned to the newcomers, his eyes narrowing on their apparent leader. "Who the hell are you?" he snapped.

Kovu stared at his stepfather for a moment, greatly revolted by the lion's mutilated appearance. Shaking himself to regain his courage, Kovu solemnly responded, "I'm the one who was supposed to carry on your pitiful legacy."

Scar stared at the dark furred youth, not noticing as Kopa circled around to block his escape route. Soon, Kovu, Kopa, and the five lionesses had Scar cornered, his only clear path leading over the cliff into the gorge.

"Kovu?" Scar mumbled. "I don't believe it…"

"Where's my wife?" Kovu demanded.

"Wife?"

"Kiara's fine," Kopa said. "So is the king."

Scar gaped at Kovu. "You – and Simba's daughter?" Scar's expression was twisted with fury and disgust.

"This is getting pretty heavy," Kopa whispered to the lioness on his right.

"Kopa?" she responded.

Kopa glanced at her. "Uh, yeah."

"You probably don't remember me but my name's Timira. We used to play together when we were kids…"

"Um, that's great and all but maybe we can talk about it later," Kopa motioned towards the scene in front of them.

"Right, sorry," the dark lioness said shyly.

Scar shook his head. "You disappoint me, my son."

"Save it," Kovu spat. "I'm not your son – not in blood or spirit!"

Scar growled. "No, you aren't my son, are you? A son of mine wouldn't have been so pathetic…"

"You don't want to talk to me about being pathetic!" Kovu snarled. "Stand down!"

Scar laughed. "I wonder what your mother would think if she were here?"

"Don't you dare speak of her!" Kovu roared.

"Zira was a true servant," Scar continued. "Even in death, she gave her flesh unto me, so that I would have the strength to take vengeance on this worthless kingdom!"

Kovu's expression went blank. "You – you're the one who devoured her?"

Scar lifted a paw and licked his fingers.

Kovu's face contorted with rage and he took a step forward. "Everyone stay back," he instructed darkly.

"Hey, Kovu, don't be stupid," Kopa warned. "There's seven of us and only one of him. We can take him together."

"No!" Kovu snarled. "He's mine."

"Oh, get over yourself, Dip Shit!"

"I need this!"

"You're a future king! You put the needs of the pride before your own."

Kovu paused and glanced over his shoulder at Kopa.

"Never turn your back on me, Boy!" Scar roared as he lunged forward, inches from delivering Kovu a fatal blow.

"Damn it!" Kopa snapped, rushing forward and colliding hard with Scar before the murderer could strike Kovu. The young lion charged towards the edge of the cliff, pressing Scar further and further back. At the last minute, Kopa tried to pull himself away from the cliff but Scar dug his claws into Kopa's shoulders and pulled the youth over the edge with him.

"No!" Kovu roared despairingly.

* * *

><p><strong>Continue to Chapter 9<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

Chapter 9

Kopa stabbed the side of the cliff with his claws and felt them scrape several inches before he came to a stop, his forelimbs trembling with the effort of keeping himself from falling into the gorge. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed two things: first, there were sharp jagged rocks about forty feet below him; and second, Scar had caught himself in a similar fashion and was slowly clawing his way up to where Kopa hung.

"You have got to be kidding me," Kopa muttered as he began to struggle back up to the cliff, which was ten feet above him.

Scar's breathing came out as snakelike hisses as he violently pulled himself towards Kopa, moving quicker than the younger lion by sheer hatred. Kopa was near the top of the cliff when he felt Scar dig his nails into his back leg. Kopa's front paws lost their traction and he began to plummet backwards when he felt someone grasp his front paw with their claws.

"I got you!" Kovu shouted, gripping Kopa's paw and straining against the weight of both Kopa and Scar, who began to climb up Kopa's back.

"Get off me!" Kopa roared.

"What?" Kovu scoffed.

"Not you!" Kopa snapped.

"Oh, right."

"Come with me, Kopa," Scar laughed. "You and me – the Lost Princes – we'll go to hell together!"

Kopa and Kovu shared a look and Kopa winked, to which Kovu nodded. Sucking in a ragged breath, Kovu yanked hard on Kopa's paw and brought him up half a foot before releasing his paw, using his newly freed claws to slice through Scar's good eye. The monster let out a bloodcurdling roar of pain and pressed his front paws to his bloodied eye socket, inadvertently releasing Kopa and tumbling backwards.

Kopa felt himself falling once more and let out a startled gasp, Kovu just barely missing his paw a second time. As Kovu grasped Kopa's forelimb, he watched his stepfather plummet fifty feet to the jagged rocks below.

"Mufasa!" Scar screeched just before he hit the earth.

Kopa glanced over his shoulder and winced at the grotesque sight below him. He looked back up at Kovu and mumbled, "thanks."

Kovu nodded. "Anytime."

Kopa glanced around and sighed. "So, are you going to pull me up or what?"

Kovu sucked in an indignant breath. "You are really heavy, you know that?"

"Bite me!"

Kovu let out a long painful groan as he dragged Kopa up and over the edge, the golden male using his free paws to claw his way up. He slid over the edge of the cliff and the two young lions slumped side by side on the grass in exhaustion, the lionesses surrounding them in concern. They rolled onto their backs and stared up at the five females examining them.

"You know," Kopa sighed, "this family has a lot of bad luck when it comes to cliffs. You'd think we'd learn by now to avoid them."

Kovu nodded. "Good idea."

Kopa glanced at the claw marks on his paw where Kovu had grasped him.

"Sorry," Kovu sighed.

"No big deal," Kopa replied. He glanced at Kovu and frowned. "This doesn't mean we're friends, you know."

"Of course not," Kovu agreed, "Dick."

"Bitch."

The two males started laughing and the lionesses let out a unanimous sigh of relief.

Kovu and Kopa pulled themselves to their feet and gazed over the edge of the cliff to where Scar lay.

"Is he really dead?" Tama asked.

"Yes," Kovu said solemnly.

"Are we absolutely sure about that?" Kopa insisted in a sardonic voice. "I mean, the last time…"

"Unless it's possible for someone to survive with half their brains smeared on the ground, I'm fairly confident in my assessment."

Kopa glanced at the five lionesses with them. "Don't suppose any of you lovely ladies would be interested in going down there and checking."

"Real chivalrous of you, Chaka," Kovu chuckled.

The other male gave Kovu a roguish grin. "It's Kopa."

Boga stepped forward and threw a stone down at Scar's body. A soft thud could be heard from where they stood. "Yep, he's dead," she confirmed.

"Boga!" Sabini gasped.

"What?"

"It's the king," Kula informed them.

The group turned about and saw Simba, Rafiki, and Kiara approaching. Rafiki had his hand on the king's shoulder and Kiara bounded ahead of them.

"Kopa!" the princess called happily.

"Uh oh," Kopa mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Kovu asked.

"I think I have a broken rib and Kiara's about to give me a hug."

Kiara threw herself at her brother and knocked him backwards. Kopa felt a spasm of pain shoot through his side and yelped in agony. "Ow – why?" he cried out angrily.

Simba paused and watched his children's embrace. "I can't believe he's alive," he told his advisor.

"Go to him, Your Highness," Rafiki said.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Kiara said quickly, backing away from her brother as he struggled to his feet.

"It's fine – doesn't even hurt anymore," Kopa responded unconvincingly.

"Maybe Rafiki should take a look at you," Kovu suggested.

"Hell no," Kopa scoffed. "That nutcase would just whack me in the gut with his stick."

"Kopa?" Simba called.

The prince turned to his father, who smiled expectantly. Kopa didn't move for a moment until Kiara gave him a soft nudge.

"Go on," Kiara whispered.

Kopa glanced at his sister and gulped before slowly walking towards the king. Kiara moved close to Kovu and they shared an affectionate nuzzle.

Simba watched his son's cautious approach and softly wept tears of joy. The prince came to a stop before his father.

"I – I got lost," Kopa mumbled, blinking repeatedly to clear his eyes. "I'm sorry…"

"You're home now," Simba purred, pulling Kopa against him and nuzzling him warmly. "That's all that matters."

As Kopa pressed his cheek into Simba's soft red mane, his tears finally broke free and his shoulders shook gently against his father's chest. "Home…"

* * *

><p>The kingdom was gathered at Pride Rock once more. Kopa stood on the throne beside Simba and Nala as the elephants released their elated trumpets, the zebras and antelopes neighed joyfully, and the monkeys hooped and hollered ecstatically. Kopa roared first, quickly followed by his parents and then the rest of his pride. Rafiki sat on a rock several yards away and merely nodded, sharing a private wink with the sky.<p>

Simba, Nala, and Kopa returned to the base of Pride Rock, where Kovu, Kiara, Mheetu, Timon, Pumbaa, Zazu, and Vitani waited. At their approach, Vitani hurried away, catching Kopa's notice.

"Hi, uh – your name's Vitani, right?" Kopa greeted.

The lioness glanced at him but hurried on.

"Uh huh," Kopa muttered, turning to Kovu. "I don't think your sister likes me very much."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Kovu replied. "She probably just has something to do."

"Don't you worry, Kid," Timon said, giving Kopa a wink. "Me and Pumbaa will teach you everything you need to know about the ladies…"

"That's right," Pumbaa agreed. "Me and Timon know all about – uh… Hey, Timon, what do we know about girlfriends, again?"

"Girlfriend?" Kopa yelped. "Wow, wait, no, that's not what I was getting at!" He glanced nervously at Kovu.

"Sire," Zazu whispered to Simba, "we should address the matter of Kopa's betrothal, shouldn't we?"

"Not right now, Zazu," Nala replied, making sure Kopa didn't notice their discussion. "Kopa's been through quite enough. Give him time to readjust."

Kopa cleared his throat, turning to Mheetu in the hopes of changing the subject. "So, _Uncle_ Mheetu, is it?" he said, grinning roguishly.

The white lion smiled as Nala took her place beside her younger brother. "What did I say before? It's a small world."

"And getting smaller every day," Simba agreed, giving his brother-in-law a fond smirk.

"Honestly," Mheetu continued, nuzzling Nala's cheek. "I still can't believe it. My big sister is Queen of Pride Rock? How did that happen? _When_ did that happen?"

"It's a long story," Nala replied.

"Well, we have plenty of time for it now, don't we?"

Two aged lionesses approached. One was Simba's mother Sarabi and the other was Sarafina, mother of Nala and Mheetu.

"My darling ones," Sarafina sighed, approaching Nala and Mheetu and nuzzling them tenderly. The queen and her brother lovingly embraced their mother.

Sarabi approached Kopa and Kiara, smiling fondly at each of them in turn. "Kopa, we should never have lost hope," she told her grandson, rubbing her cheek against his. She turned to Kiara. "And you, our dear girl – I know in my heart that, wherever he is, Mufasa is looking proudly on you this day."

Kiara blinked back her tears. "Thank you, Grandmother."

"Hey, Kopa, I need to talk to you," Kovu said.

Kopa glanced at Kiara's husband and nodded. "Uh, sure. What's up?"

Kovu led the prince away from the group, Kiara following.

"Look at them," Simba whispered to Nala. "Our children – together again. It's a miracle."

"Yes," Nala replied affectionately.

"Nothing will ever separate us again," Simba declared. "This family has undergone enough pain and sorrow – and we're powerful for it. You, me, our two beautiful children…"

"Three," Nala corrected.

Simba stared at Nala uncomprehendingly.

Nala smiled warmly, her face more radiant than usual. "We have another cub on the way," she explained.

Slowly, a silly grin spread across Simba's face.

Kopa, Kiara, and Kovu stopped at a relatively private location near the back of Pride Rock. Kovu looked a little uncomfortable, which in turn made Kopa nervous.

"So," Kovu mumbled, "how are you doing?"

Kopa cocked an eyebrow. "Uh, good, I guess."

"How are your memories?" Kiara specified for Kovu.

Kopa shrugged. "Still sketchy. I remember Mom and Dad – and I can even recall when Kiara was born." He grinned at his sister. "You were really puny, Squirt."

Kiara batted Kopa's nose playfully. "Shut up," she laughed.

"Other than that – still pretty much a blank. I get some flashes every now and then. I guess I'll just have to wait for the rest to come back."

Kovu nodded and took a deep breath. "I've been doing a lot of thinking," he began.

Kopa glanced between Kovu and Kiara. "That's never a good way to start a conversation," he muttered.

"Growing up, I was indoctrinated with so much rage – and hate…"

Kopa shrugged. "You seem to have a handle on it."

"I don't have it under control," Kovu asserted. "Not completely, anyway. The other night, when we faced Scar – I felt all that evil my mother infused me with rise up. I didn't want to kill Scar to protect my family. I wanted to kill him because – because I hated him."

Kopa shrugged again. "Yeah, I hated the jackass too."

"But you weren't controlled by your hate. You kept your cool. In the short time I've known you, I've never once seen you lose control – and we've been through some pretty messed up stuff in the last few days." Kovu paused and closed his eyes. "If it wasn't for what you said – about a king focusing on the needs of his pride over his own…" Kovu looked at Kiara and she gave him a comforting smile.

Kopa sighed. "Is this kingdom always so melodramatic?"

"I can never erase the darkness Zira instilled in me," Kovu explained to the both of them. "That's why I've relinquished my right to the throne."

"Wow, you did what?" Kopa scoffed. "What about Kiara?"

"I already know about it," Kiara replied. "Truth be told, being queen has never really interested me."

"What hell is wrong with you two?" Kopa snapped. "You can't just turn your backs on your responsibility like this! Who's going to rule the kingdom after Dad if you won't?"

Kovu and Kiara shared a brief glance before looking back at Kopa.

It took Kopa a moment to figure it out. "Wait a second – no – hell no! You can't drop a bombshell on me like that. I just got back, for crying out loud!"

"We've already spoken with Father," Kiara continued, "and he's accepted our decision. It's you, Kopa. You're the future king."

Kopa stared at Kovu and Kiara blankly. "Oh crap."

**The Lion King III:**

**The Lost Prince**

* * *

><p>Proposed OC and Semi-Canon Voice Cast<p>

Boga - Kat Dennings

Kidonda - Johnny Depp

Kopa/Chaka - Topher Grace

Kula - Lucy Lawless

Mheetu - Keith David

Sabini - Julia Roberts

Tama - Jennifer Garner

Timira - Anne Hathaway

* * *

><p>A Note from the Writer<p>

That concludes the first of the three books I have planned for my _Lion King_ fan fiction. The second part will be titled _The Lion King IV: The Rogue Pride_, followed by _The Lion King V: Man Comes to the Pride Lands_.

Before we part ways, I thought you'd all like to know a little bit about my inspirations for this fan fiction and some behind-the-scenes info. Keep in mind, I got some of this information off of the Internet and it's possible not all this info is 100% accurate.

First of all, I really dislike the "Zira killed Kopa" theory that a lot of other _Lion King _fan fiction writers prefer. I'm not saying my theory is more valid, I just _prefer_ my idea. I went with the theory that everyone in the Pride Lands _thought_ Zira killed Kopa but he actually survived. This led to the question of why Kopa hadn't come home. The amnesia plot device helped to answer that question, though I admit it is a little unoriginal, as amnesia is used in hundreds of different movies, television shows, and soap operas. I think the 1997 film _Anastasia_ is the biggest inspiration for my interpretation of Kopa's story.

I've incorporated several characters originally introduced in _The Lion King_ comics and _The Lion King: Six New Adventures_, such as Leo, Tama, Kula, etc., etc. and I plan on introducing more in the next book of my fan fiction. I'd love to hear what you all think about my interpretation of these supporting book characters so far.

_Chaka and Shani_: According to some promotional material in an Australian magazine for _The Lion King II: Simba's Pride_, Simba's daughter went by several different names in the early drafts of the script before the producers finally settled on _Kiara_. These names included Shani (or Shari), Chaka, and Aisha. According to one online source I found by Akril, there were plans for Simba and Nala to have two cubs, originally named Chaka ("Thicket" or "Bush") and Shani ("Adventure" or "Curiosity"). The son, Chaka, was supposedly dropped from the script to compress the story and the daughter, Shani, was renamed because the name Shani was confused with the Swahili word Shari, which translates as "Evil." The subsequent name, Aisha, was later dropped supposedly because it's the name of the Yellow Power Ranger, Aisha Campbell. Finally, the character was renamed Kiara. I didn't do anything with the name Aisha because I was already familiar with it, and so it didn't really catch my interest, but I really liked the name Shani, due to its meaning and how it really fits Kiara's personality. So I recycled Shani as a pet name Kovu uses for Kiara. As for Chaka, I needed a name to give Kopa because of his amnesia and Chaka was just a readily available choice.

_Timira_: There is also an online rumor that, as part of the Chaka storyline that was supposedly part of the original _Lion King II_ script, Chaka was betrothed to a lioness named Timira or Kirijah. I favored the name Timira because it has two possible meanings ("Inferno" in Hindu and "Darkness" in Sanskrit) and Kirijah doesn't seem to have any meaning – at least none that I could find.

_Mheetu_: Several examples of early concept art for _The Lion King_, originally titled _King of the Jungle_, show Nala (originally named Nadra ("Special" in Swahili)) with a younger brother, who was named Mheetu according to _The Lion King_ Laserdisc. His name has no meaning in Swahili and is just a play on the phrase "Me too." It appears he was dropped from the script roughly the same time that the movie's title was changed from _King of the Jungle_ to _The Lion King_. Mheetu was probably dropped for pacing but I've seen Mheetu being revived in a lot of fan art and I wanted to do my own interpretation of him.

As a side note, I plan on recycling the name Nadra in connection to Nala at some point in future continuations of my _Lion King_ fan fiction. You'll have to wait and see how.

_Nala's Father_: So, yeah, no one knows who Nala and Mheetu's father is, though there are plenty of theories going around online. Some propose Mufasa and Scar as possible candidates - gross! For my fan fiction, I chose Leo, a funny and somewhat arrogant lion introduced in _The Lion King: Six New Adventures_. I'm sure you all understand why I refused to make Mufasa or Scar Nala's father.

_Scar's Return_: Okay, I admit that I totally ripped this idea off of an online video I saw where clips from _The Lion King II_ were used to make a fake commercial for a third _Lion King_ movie in which Scar comes back. Unfortunately, it seems this video was removed. Before I saw this video, I was just going to make Kidonda my main villain for this fan fiction.

_Rafiki's Species_: Is it possible to hybridize baboons and mandrills - like when you make a mule from mating a horse and donkey?

**Swahili Translations of my Original Character's Names:**

_Kidonda_ – "Wound," "Sore," and/or "Ulcer"

_Tembo_ (mentioned but not featured) – "Elephant"

Hope you found this info interesting. Please leave feedback and feel free to ask questions in your reviews if you'd like. Asante sana!


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